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The 7th International Caparica Symposium on Nanoparticles, Nanomaterials and Applications (ISN2A 2026) was held from January 25th to 29th, 2026, in Caparica, Portugal. The symposium brings together researchers working on nanoparticles, nanomaterials, and their applications across various scientific fields, providing a platform for discussion of recent advances and future perspectives in nanoscience and nanotechnology.

Dr Hubert Ronduda participated as a representative of the TECH-CAT group, delivering an invited oral presentation titled “Engineering the inverse catalysts for efficient ammonia synthesis and decomposition”.

The National Science Centre (NCN) has announced the results of the 9th edition of the MINIATURA competition, which provides funding intended to serve as an initial source of funding for the preparation of full-scale research projects.

We are proud to announce that Dr Hubert Ronduda received funding for the project titled “Plasma-assisted catalytic ammonia decomposition as an efficient pathway towards clean hydrogen production”.

Congratulations!

M.Sc. Eng. Weronika Bulejak and M.Sc. Eng. Małgorzata Lemańska, together with three members of the Ceramics and Composites Group, participated in the 16th ECerS Conference for Young Scientists in Ceramics, which was organized by the Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, and the European Ceramic Society (ECerS) and its Young Ceramists Network (YCN). The conference took place in Novi Sad from October 15 to 18, 2025. The primary objective of this meeting was to promote the work of young researchers and foster closer international contacts between students from various universities and institutes, facilitating the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and experiences. Our representatives presented oral presentations:

• Małgorzata Lemańska  – “Doping as an effective method to improve the properties of barium cerate” – about doped with rare-earth metals barium cerate, used as a carrier in cobalt catalysts for ammonia synthesis.
• Weronika Bulejak – “Additive manufacturing of ceramic-based composites: Influence of printing parameters and feedstock composition on functional properties” – about 3D printing of ceramic materials by extrusion techniques.

The 18th European Congress and Exhibition on Advanced Materials and Processes (FEMS EUROMAT 2025) – held from September 14th to 18th, 2025, in Granada, Spain, brought together researchers, engineers, and industry representatives working on the latest advances in materials science and engineering. Organized by the Spanish Society of Materials (SOCIEMAT), the congress focused on innovative materials, advanced manufacturing technologies, and sustainable processing methods, providing an excellent platform for scientific exchange and international collaboration.

Researchers from the Tech-Cat group – Weronika Bulejak & Małgorzata Lemańska together with the members of the CER-KO Group participated in the conference by presenting posters related to advanced catalytic materials and additive manufacturing technologies. The presented contributions included:

• Małgorzata Lemańska – “Effect of bimetallic Fe-Co catalysts deposited on neodymium oxide on the properties and activity in ammonia synthesis”
• Weronika Bulejak – “Effect of process parameters and feedstock composition on the functional properties of 3D-printed ceramic-based composites”

The conference highlighted recent developments in advanced materials, additive manufacturing, functional ceramics, and sustainable technologies. Participation in FEMS EUROMAT 2025 created valuable opportunities for networking, interdisciplinary discussions, and strengthening collaborations within the international materials science community.

The 8th Central and Eastern European Conference on Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry (CEEC-TAC8) was held from September 16th to 19th, 2025, in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Together with this event, the 1st Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry Meeting of Bosnia and Herzegovina also took place. The CEEC-TAC8 conference presents a valuable opportunity to gather eminent scientists from Central & Eastern European countries who work in the field of thermal analysis and calorimetry. The conference aims to report on current and relevant research developments in the field of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, and as such, will serve as a forum for discussions and may also offer a good opportunity to initiate new collaborations. Dr Hubert Ronduda participated as a representative of the TECH-CAT group, giving an oral presentation titled “Investigating the correlation between metal loading and properties of Co catalysts supported on samarium-doped barium cerate in ammonia synthesis” as well as the poster presentation “Design and fabrication of samarium-doped barium cerate catalysts via Direct Ink Writing for plasma-assisted ammonia decomposition”.

On September 15th, 2025, we had the pleasure of hosting a delegation from the College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Shenyang Normal University. The group, comprising ten representatives from the Chinese side and led by Prof. Zhen Zhao, visited the Faculty of Chemistry as part of a networking program aimed at strengthening academic cooperation. The meeting was led by Prof. Wioletta Raróg-Pilecka and Dr. Michał Młotek.

The visit included a guided walk through the main campus of Warsaw University of Technology, a tour of the laboratories of the Technical Catalysis Group in the Chemical Technology Building, and presentations on the research and teaching activities of both the Chinese group and our team.

The meeting took place in a very friendly and open atmosphere, providing an excellent opportunity to learn more about each other’s institutions, research interests, and potential directions for future collaboration.

Two of our representatives, dr Hubert Ronduda and M.Sc. Eng. Małgorzata Lemańska participated in the NEO-CYCLE M12 meeting held at the University of Pavia in Italy. The event focused on summarizing the progress achieved during the first 12 months of the project. The meeting took place over two days, from September 30 to October 1, 2025, and included presentations of results from various work packages, the development of soft skills training, and a course on hydrometallurgy. Our delegates presented the outcomes of our research on carrier and inverse iron-neodymium catalysts for ammonia synthesis.

The 12th edition of the Symposium on Effects of Surface Heterogeneity in Adsorption, Catalysis and Related Phenomena (ISSHAC‑12) was held from 7th to 11th September 2025, in the beautiful historic city of Lublin, Poland. The symposium provides an excellent opportunity for scientists, researchers, and engineers from across Europe and worldwide, working in academia, national laboratories, and industry, to meet and discuss the latest advances in the physics and chemistry of surfaces, as well as their industrial applications. Dr Hubert Ronduda participated as a representative of the TECH-CAT group, gave an oral presentation titled “Engineering Supported Cobalt Catalysts for Sustainable Ammonia Synthesis: Unravelling the Role of Metal Introduction Strategies”. ISSHAC‑12 served as an excellent platform for presenting the latest research, offering valuable opportunities for both early-career researchers and experienced experts to network, collaborate, and gain new insights.

The 16th European Congress on Catalysis – EuropaCat 2025 – held from August 31st to September 5th, 2025, in Trondheim, Norway, brought together 1280 participants from 46 countries, creating an excellent platform for scientific exchange and international collaboration in the field of catalysis. Organized under the auspices of the European Federation of Catalysis Societies (EFCATS), the conference focused on recent advances in sustainable chemical technologies, innovative catalyst design, renewable feedstocks, and emerging energy-related applications.

Researchers from the Tech-Cat group actively participated in the conference by presenting several posters showcasing ongoing work in ammonia synthesis, plasma catalysis, hydrogen production, and e-fuels. The presented contributions included:

• Wioletta Raróg-Pilecka – “Engineering inverse cobalt catalysts for efficient ammonia synthesis”
• Urszula Ulkowska – “Cobalt Catalysts for Fischer–Tropsch e-Fuels Production”
• Hubert Ronduda – “Preparation of Fe, Co and Ni single and bimetallic catalysts supported on Sm-doped BaCeO3 and their activity in ammonia synthesis”
• Weronika Bulejak – “3D-printed catalyst supports for plasma-assisted ammonia decomposition”
• Małgorzata Lemańska – “Effect of the synthesis method of iron-neodymium catalysts on the properties and activity in ammonia synthesis”

The conference highlighted both fundamental and applied aspects of catalysis, with particular emphasis on sustainable chemical processing, low-emission technologies, and innovative materials for future energy applications. Participation in EuropaCat 2025 provided valuable opportunities for networking, discussion of new research directions, and strengthening international scientific collaborations.

The 26th International Symposium on Plasma Chemistry (ISPC26), the world’s leading biennial conference in plasma chemistry, held from June 15th to 20th, 2025, in Minneapolis, USA, bringing together 373 plasma scientists from 28 countries. Dr Michał Młotek and Dr Hubert Ronduda participated as representatives of the TECH-CAT group, presenting the oral presentations. Dr Młotek gave an oral presentation titled “Zirconium Oxide Carrier Catalysts for Plasma-Catalytic Ammonia Decomposition”, whereas Dr Ronduda gave an oral presentation on “Ammonia decomposition for hydrogen production by plasma catalysis using cobalt-based catalyst”. ISPC26 showcased progress in plasma-enabled reaction engineering, advanced diagnostics for plasma–catalyst interfaces, and the development of next-generation plasma reactors, offering a highly impactful environment for exchanging ideas and building research partnerships.

The 9th European Process Intensification Conference (EPIC 2025), held from June 4th to 6th, 2025, in the historic Zappeion Megaron in Athens, brought together leading experts and researchers in the field of process intensification. The conference covered recent advances in sustainable chemical processing, innovative reactor design, and the integration of renewable resources. Dr Hubert Ronduda participated as a representative of the Tech‑Cat group, presenting a poster titled “Carbon-free hydrogen production via plasma-catalytic ammonia decomposition over Fe catalysts on 3D-printed Al₂O₃ supports”. The conference highlighted advances in sustainable chemical processing, innovative reactor designs, and integration of renewable resources, providing an excellent platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration.

Dr Hubert Ronduda has been awarded the START 2025 scholarship of the Foundation for Polish Science (FNP).

The START Scholarship is an annual scholarship for outstanding young scientists at the beginning of their scientific careers. The programme aims to recognise the most talented young scientists and encourage their further scientific development by enabling them to devote themselves fully to research work. (source: https://www.fnp.org.pl/oferta/start/)

Congratulations to our laureate!