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EUROfusion schematic diagram of fusion power plant
Fusion energy may be the holy grail of clean energy, but harnessing its complex processes and machinery is a daunting task. Researchers at DIFFER think the solution to fusion may not only lie in deeper physics understanding but also in an engineering approach to self-steering systems.
HELIOS kick-off meeting at AMOLF on 23 May
A collaboration between AMOLF, CWI and DIFFER has received funding from NWO-I to launch the joint project ‘HELIOS: AI-guided materials discovery facility for solar energy materials’.
Jos Scholte used a 3D-printer from industrial partner Dunlee to create a capillary porous structure out of tungsten: a sponge for liquid metal. This microscope image shows smooth, solidified flows of the metal lying on top of the 3D-printed (ridged) tungsten. Credit: Jos Scholte
Future fusion power plants will need wall materials that do not crack or melt under the intense heat inside. In his PhD research, mechanical engineer Jos Scholte (TU/e and DIFFER) studied if liquid metals can act as a protective layer for the exhaust wall. He successfully defended his PhD thesis on 3 June 2025.
Xingyu Chen
What if one technology could help tackle climate change on Earth and support future missions to Mars? A recent PhD study shows that this is not just science fiction, but a promising reality. On Tuesday 27 May 2025 PhD researcher Xingyu Chen defended her thesis called ‘The Plasma–Solid Oxide Interface: An experimental study of plasma-enhanced surface processes'.
DIFFER celebrates 10-year anniversary in Eindhoven
On a sunny Thursday afternoon, accompanied by employees, relatives, music and foods, DIFFER celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the institute at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) campus. In May 2015, DIFFER moved from Nieuwegein to Eindhoven. A decade of leading research and collaboration in Eindhoven followed. Time to celebrate, and to look back and forward.