NOMATEN project aims to create a strong research centre, that will utilize the unique nuclear research infrastructure and experience of Polish and European scientists in order to research and produce the state-of-art innovative materials suitable for extreme conditions in industry, as well as corresponding with the highest medical standards.

The project has been prepared by international consortium: National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ), Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA, France), and Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy (VTT, Finland). The partners have received aid from National Centre for Research and Development (NCBiR) and Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Researchers will mainly focus on factors that can induce great stress for materials, such as high temperatures, high pressures, radiation (especially neutrons)m corrosion, intense wear, etc. Some of these problems are common in many different applications, for example in nuclear and chemical industry, while some of them is very specific, applicable only to few cases. However, many examples prove, that creating innovative materials for only one purpose or even for unique scientific research leads to the discovery of solutions useful in other, initially unpredicted fields. A special place in the research programme of the Centre is reserved for new materials created with the intention of usage in medicine of radiopharmacy.

Implementation of the project together with the best and most experienced research institutes in Europe (VTT and CEA) will open new possibilities for young researchers, providing them with suitable conditions for professional development in rapidly growing branches of science and industry. Consequently, NCBJ’s prestige and research potential will increase, cementing the Institute’s position as a strong research institution with European and global significance.

NOMATEN Centre of Excellence started operating in autumn of 2018 as a project of International Research Agenda, which received funding from resources of Foundation for Polish Science. Already during the first months researchers have contributed to two significant research projects. GO-HTR, a project funded by NCBiR, is related to the high temperature reactor technology under the Gospostrateg programme. The second project is a cooperation between Poland and Republic of South Africa. INLAS, as it was named, aims to develop better and cleaner technology of coal burning.