There is more than just graphene: In an interdisciplinary project, researchers have focused on a new class of two-dimensional materials known as MXenes. This versatile group of materials is suitable for a wide range of applications, from energy storage to medicine.

Complications after surgery are often difficult to detect. A project led by Empa researcher Inge Herrmann is now being supported by the Werner Siemens Foundation. Thanks to millions in funding over the next five years, her team at the labs at Balgrist University Hospital in Zurich is developing a novel contrast agent that continuously monitors surgical sites deep within the body - and even treats them in an emergency.

Many bridges in Switzerland were built before the 1980s - and are therefore approaching the end of their service life. researchers are now developing a novel strengthening system to retrofit damaged reinforced concrete bridges. For the first time, they have combined ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete with memory steel, which attempts to contract after being heated, therefore prestressing concrete structures.

Local and yet exclusive, natural and yet high-tech: Spalted wood combines contradictions. This very special wood is characterized by patterns of fine black lines, which it owes to a fungus. What used to be a rare chance find in the forest is now a standardized manufacturing process - thanks to the collaboration between Koster AG Holzwelten and Empa.

Metallic glasses are novel materials with applications in space technology, but also in medicine and the watch industry. To better understand their properties and improve their production, researchers are conducting various experiments on board the International Space Station (ISS) in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA).

Sustainable and high-performance batteries are a key technology for the energy transition. The project HyMetBat aims to accelerate the development of new energy storage systems by developing reliable methods for characterizing different types of batteries. As part of the project, Empa is working on monitoring batteries during operation.

Epoxy resin is a clear, robust polymer that is widely used - especially as part of fiber-reinforced materials in aviation, the automotive industry, and more. Until now, however, it has not been possible to recycle it. Researchers at Empa have developed an epoxy resin that can be reprocessed and chemically recycled, in addition to being flame-retardant and easy to manufacture.

Modeling the formation and distribution of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in the atmosphere.

Solid-state batteries do not use flammable liquid electrolytes and are therefore safer than conventional lithium-ion batteries. researchers have developed a solid electrolyte based on a stretchable polymer. The scalable material could allow the development of better solid-state batteries and be used in flexible batteries for medical applications.

It is not easy to bring new technologies from the laboratory to market. Researchers and companies face very different demands for new developments and do not always find common ground. Scientists at Empa and other institutions have analyzed two emerging solar cell technologies to identify the greatest risks. Their conclusion: Research and industry must start collaborating much earlier.

More efficient batteries, textile sensors, self-repairing concrete-at Empa, all kinds of materials are researched and enhanced. In an interview with the Werner Siemens Foundation, which supports several projects at Empa, Empa Director Tanja Zimmermann explains the significance of materials science, where the field is heading-and why wood is her favourite material.

Our planet is suffering from air pollution, including climate-relevant halogenated gases. Empa researcher Alina Begley ensures that these gases can be detected and measured - even when they are previously unknown or occur only in vanishingly small quantities. Their measurements serve as a long-term basis for regulation. The researcher is supported by an Empa "Restart Grant".

The FireDrone is designed to deliver real-time data from high-risk areas that are too dangerous for humans and conventional drones. Developed at Empa and continued as a spin-off, the new generation of drones combines heat-resistant materials with practical robotics - for firefighting operations and industrial inspections involving extreme temperatures.

Anyone who has ever had to get a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan knows that magnetic and highly conductive materials are a no-go in the tube-shaped scanners. However, for complex diagnoses and medical research, this imaging technique often needs to be combined with other methods that require conductive cables. As part of an Innosuisse project with the Swiss company TI Solutions, researchers at Empa have developed polymer-based cables that function safely and reliably in MRI machines.

Three Swiss deep-tech startups originating from Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, are heading to CES 2026 in Las Vegas, showcasing how Swiss engineering is translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world hardware innovation on a global stage in the areas of energy storage, photovoltaics and cooling technologies for power computing.

An important step for moving forward in developing a sustainable fuel production: The SWEET consortium reFuel.ch and the Port of Sohar and Freezone in Oman are joining forces for launching a research and production facility. Their commitment to collaborate in upscaling sustainable fuel production is marked by a letter of intent, signed at the Green Hydrogen Summit in Oman in December 2025.