(Originally published on the UFABC’s Portuguese website on July 1st, 2025, 2:00 PM)
The INCT MATERIA project aims to boost national innovation and technological sovereignty to support Brazil’s energy transition
The Federal University of ABC (UFABC) is one of the institutions participating in an ambitious initiative recently approved through a highly competitive call by the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI). The project is the new National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT) MATERIA – Advanced Rare Earth-Based Materials: Innovations and Applications. The final results were announced on June 30th, on the website of CNPq, the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development.
With more than R$ 10 million in funding over five years, the initiative brings together specialists in theoretical and experimental physics, chemistry, materials engineering, chemical engineering, and geology. This multidisciplinary network aims to develop strategic technologies based on rare earth elements – essential materials for high-tech industries and innovation, due to their role as key raw materials in the production of various advanced materials.
INCT MATERIA will focus on three key areas:
- Sustainable extraction – Development of efficient and environmentally responsible methods to obtain rare earth elements from Brazilian mineral resources;
- Complex ceramics – Synthesis and application of advanced ceramic materials for optoelectronic devices, sensors, and other cutting-edge technologies;
- Permanent magnets – Research and production of high-performance magnets, essential for electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, and industrial equipment.
Coordinated by the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM), the project involves a high-impact collaborative network composed of 14 leading institutions. The initiative aims to:
- Reduce dependency on imported critical materials;
- Add value to Brazilian natural resources by transforming raw minerals into technological products;
- Promote industrial innovation in sectors such as renewable energy, electronics, and magnetism.
Through its participation in INCT MATERIA, UFABC strengthens its role at the forefront of national research, science, and development, contributing expertise in the synthesis and characterization of advanced ceramic materials for applications in renewable energy and electronics. Beyond supporting Brazil’s technological sovereignty, the project also fosters the training of highly qualified professionals at all levels – from technical high school to postdoctoral research – and encourages the transfer of knowledge to society and the productive sector.
“It is a great joy and honor for us to take part in a project alongside so many remarkable and experienced partners in a field that is of fundamental importance for national development and sovereignty,” says Prof. Dr. Daniel Zanetti de Florio, from UFABC.
Partner Institutions
- Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM)
- Federal University of ABC (UFABC)
- Center for the Development of Nuclear Technology (CDTN/CNEN)
- Institute for Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN/CNEN)
- Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC)
- University of São Paulo (USP)
- Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES)
- Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG)
- Federal University of Catalão (UFCAT)
- Brazilian Geological Survey (CPRM/DF)
- Institute for Technological Research (IPT)
- SENAI São Paulo
- Center for Mineral Technology (CETEM)
- Federal Institute of Amazonas (IFAM)
- Federal University of Western Pará (UFOPA)