2026 Charles Hatchett Award winners announced

For the best paper on the science and technology of Niobium-based materials, the 2026 Charles Hatchett Award goes to Akihisa Aimi, Hitoshi Onodera, Yuta Shimonishi, Kenjiro Fujimoto and Shuhei Yoshida, from the Tokyo University of Science and DENSO Corporation, Japan, for their paper:

“High Li-Ion Conductivity in Pyrochlore-Type Solid Electrolyte Li₂₋ₓLa₍₁₊ₓ₎/₃M₂O₆F (M = Nb, Ta)”

American Chemical Society: Chemistry of Materials, 2024, 36, 3717–3725.

Key results at a glance

• Increased bulk ionic conductivity at room temperature
• Increased total ionic conductivity at room temperature
• Stable in air and at room temperature
• A new class of superionic conductors

What the research achieved

Solid state batteries are relatively new in their development compared with traditional liquid electrolyte. Generally, solid-state batteries offer higher energy densities, longer lifetimes and are safer. The conductivity in All-solid-state batteries is lower compared with liquid organic electrolytes and therefore reduces the high-rate capability. High-rate capability is a feature required for many applications.

The winning paper of the 2026 Charles Hatchett Award from the Tokyo University of Science and the DENSO Corporation, Japan, researchers Akihisa Aimi, Hitoshi Onodera, Yuta Shimonishi, Kenjiro Fujimoto, and Shuhei Yoshida demonstrate how Niobium increases the ionic conductivity in an all-solid-state Lithium-ion battery that is stable at room temperature.

This research focused on improving the conduction and stability in air of all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries. The benefits of Niobium were an increased bulk ionic conductivity and total ionic conductivity at room temperature. The research also resulted in a new class of superionic conductors.

The search for the Charles Hatchett Award winner is wide ranging. It covers Niobium alloys, oxides and other compounds and their applications across oil and gas, aerospace, automotive, construction, biomedical, electronics, energy generation and storage, and chemical applications including catalysts and glass products. Each has the potential for global impact, and competition is strong, with hundreds of papers reviewed in the process.

The selection process is concerned with technical excellence and originality. It also takes account of the social, economic and environmental advantages of any proposed application of Niobium.

The annual Award, now in its 48th year, is sponsored by CBMM with administrative support from Beta Technology. The lead author will be presented with the Charles Hatchett medal at the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) 2026 Premier Awards Dinner, to be held in London on 3rd December 2026.

The Charles Hatchett Award is sponsored by CBMM | Niobium and recognises the best published research on the science and technology of Niobium.