From Research to Impact

In this MateriNex spring interview, we bring together two complementary perspectives from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB): Professor Iris De Graeve, Head of the Department of Chemistry and Materials, working at the forefront of advanced materials research, and Anneke Hunninck, Business Developer within the Sustainable Materials Engineering (SUME) research group, connecting academia and industry. Together, they reflect on the innovations shaping the field, the challenges of translating research into practice, and the role of collaboration in creating real-world impact.

Iris
Expert in advanced materials with a focus on additive manufacturing, corrosion and sustainable material performance.

Anneke
Business Developer at VUB’s Sustainable Materials Engineering group, bridging research and industry to turn innovation into impact.

What will the future of materials look like?

Iris: “We are moving towards a reality where material concepts come closer to application than ever before.”

For Iris, one of the most exciting developments today is metal additive manufacturing, due to its technical potential and its positive impact on sustainability.

Metal Additive Manufacturing (MAM), or 3D metal printing, is rapidly emerging as a transformative production route. Compared to conventional manufacturing, it enables significant reductions in material waste, energy use, and reliance on raw resources. At the same time, it opens up entirely new design possibilities: lighter components, more complex structures, and production processes with fewer steps.

Beyond efficiency, MAM also introduces a shift in mindset. Instead of replacing worn components, it supports repair-based approaches, extending product lifetimes and reducing waste. On-demand production further reduces the need for storage and logistics, creating a more flexible and resource-efficient system.

Yet, the science behind these materials is still evolving. Additively manufactured alloys have unique microstructures and surface compositions, meaning their behaviour—particularly in areas such as corrosion—cannot be explained using traditional models. Understanding and improving these properties remains a key research challenge.

Looking ahead, the field is expanding towards hybrid material concepts, where different materials are combined to create tailored functionalities such as self-repair, anti-corrosion, or biodegradability. These developments bring materials innovation closer than ever to real-world application.

Iris: “Without understanding the fundamentals, you can never move towards a sustainable solution.”

If the potential of materials innovation is clear, the path to implementation is less straightforward.

One of the biggest challenges lies in bridging the gap between academic research and industrial application. Industry often faces practical constraints: processes must be repeatable, scalable and economically viable. Academic research, on the other hand, focuses on understanding the fundamental mechanisms behind materials behaviour.

Without this fundamental knowledge, progress risks becoming trial and error. But without alignment with industrial realities, even the most advanced research may never reach application.

Closing this gap requires early and continuous collaboration. It means understanding industrial bottlenecks, aligning expectations, and working together towards solutions that are both scientifically robust and practically feasible.

This is where roles like Anneke’s become essential.

Anneke: “My role sits exactly in between: translating research into value and building trust between both worlds.”

As a Business Developer at VUB’s Sustainable Materials Engineering group, Anneke operates at the interface between research and industry. Her role is to translate academic excellence into industrial value, connecting researchers with companies, shaping collaborations, and guiding projects from initial idea to real-world implementation.

With more than two decades of experience in multinational industry environments, she brings a deep understanding of how companies think: how decisions are made, how budgets are allocated, and what innovation needs to deliver in practice.

That dual perspective is critical. Researchers bring technical depth and long-term vision, while industry focuses on feasibility, timing and impact. Bridging these perspectives requires not only expertise, but also trust, communication and the ability to align different expectations.

Innovation does not happen in isolation. It happens in ecosystems.

For Anneke and the SUME research group, joining MateriNex was a natural step. Building on earlier engagement within SIM, MateriNex represents a strengthened ecosystem where academia, industry and policy come together around a shared materials agenda.

This ecosystem creates a powerful dynamic. Research groups contribute scientific expertise, infrastructure and industrial experience, while MateriNex provides strategic focus, access to funding, and connections to a broader network of partners.

Anneke: “I strongly believe in ecosystems rather than isolated excellence.”

The result is a win-win relationship: innovation accelerates, impact increases, and strong research finds its way more effectively into industrial applications and societal solutions.

Within MateriNex, collaboration takes shape through the Common Interest Groups.

The Common Interest Groups act as a powerful mechanism for co-creation and mutual reinforcement.

These groups provide a structured yet flexible environment where partners can come together to identify challenges, share insights and develop concrete project ideas.

For research groups like SUME, they are an opportunity to contribute deep expertise in materials science, advanced characterisation and modelling, while also engaging directly with industrial needs. At the same time, they offer valuable insights into policy directions, funding opportunities and emerging priorities within the ecosystem.

This continuous exchange strengthens both the quality of research and the success of project proposals. It turns ideas into collaborations, and collaborations into impact.

Looking ahead, the role of advanced materials goes far beyond innovation alone.

Materials will play a central role in addressing major societal challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity and energy transition. But this requires a fundamental shift in how materials are designed, produced and used.

Future production routes must minimise the use of resources, energy, water and chemicals. At the same time, materials must be designed with their entire lifecycle in mind — from production to reuse, remanufacturing and recycling.

Iris: "No more discarding of materials — all materials can serve more than one life cycle."

One promising concept is the digital material passport, which captures data on materials, processes and usage over time. This enables more informed decisions about repair, reuse and recycling, supporting a truly circular approach.

The ambition is clear: moving away from a linear “use and discard” model towards a system where materials are continuously reused across multiple life cycles.

Behind every innovation story are personal motivations.

Iris
For Iris, the journey started early, with a strong interest in science and engineering, encouraged by inspiring teachers and academic experiences. What continues to drive her is the realisation that materials are everywhere and that improving them has a direct impact on society, from infrastructure to energy and healthcare.

Anneke
For Anneke, the spark came from industry. Materials were never abstract concepts, but tangible elements that determined whether systems worked, products performed and processes succeeded. Over time, this evolved into a broader perspective on innovation, one that values sustainability, long-term thinking and real-world impact.

MateriNex brings together researchers, industry and policy to accelerate innovation in sustainable materials and drive real-world impact. By connecting expertise and aligning ambitions, we turn strong research into meaningful solutions for society.