Interview with Jilian de Freitas

As a child, Jilian was captivated by the idea of ​​becoming a scientist. During her undergraduate studies, she pursued this ambition by participating in a research project on emerging solar cell technologies—a field in which she remains active today. After her postdoc, while employed as a researcher in the private sector, she observed the differences between the academic and the industrial environment. “I realized the importance of combining both worlds if we want to create and successfully implement truly innovative solutions,” says Jilian. Read here our interview with this CINE researcher, who currently is the Co-Principal Investigator of the Energy Generation division.

Sodium batteries

Using computer simulations, researchers at CINE have uncovered important details regarding the formation of a layer that arises spontaneously in sodium-ion batteries from the interaction between the anode and the electrolyte. Depending on its quality, this layer can have either a beneficial or a detrimental effect on battery performance. In the new study, the authors simulated—at the atomic scale—the interaction between various electrolyte components and a realistic (defect-containing) metallic sodium anode surface. “Our results point to concrete electrolyte design choices,” says Tapasendra Adhikary, a postdoctoral researcher at IQSC-USP and the study’s lead author. Learn more.

CINE Talk

In the next seminar of the “CINE Talks” series, researcher Manuel Edgardo Gomez Winkler (a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Chemistry at UFSCar) will discuss a promising strategy for the sustainable synthesis of nitrogen-containing chemicals: electrochemical C–N coupling. He will address the challenges and opportunities associated with this reaction and share insights useful for the rational design of electrocatalysts with enhanced performance. To attend the lecture, simply fill out the form available here by the 24th.

PhD candidate Ben-Hur Matthews Moreno Montel presented results from his research at CINE during the 27th International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM). This event—one of the most well-established in the field of electrical machines—took place this year in Funchal, Madeira Island (Portugal), from September 6 to 9. Through a poster presentation, Ben-Hur showcased his work on a new method for detecting faults in electric generators used in wind energy systems, titled “A Novel ITSC Fault Detection and Severity Evaluation Method for Doubly Fed Induction Generators Based on Recursive Estimation of Electrical Parameters.” During the event, he had the opportunity to interact with leading researchers in the field of fault detection and diagnosis and to engage with the scientific program, which featured numerous sessions on energy transition technologies, ranging from wind generators to electrified vehicles.

Professor Ana Flávia Nogueira (UNICAMP), director of CINE, is a co-organizer of the inaugural MATSUS-LATAM27 event, which focuses on recent advances in sustainable materials and technologies for energy generation and storage. Previously, the MATSUS (Materials for Sustainable Development Conference) was held twice a year in Europe. Now, the organizers are launching an additional event in the series, which is intended to become an annual occurrence held in various Latin American countries. The first edition will take place in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, from February 1 to 3, 2027. The event offers special registration discounts for students and researchers from the region. Abstract submissions for oral and poster presentations are now open.

Watch the Canal Solar interview with the CINE director about technologies for the future of solar energy.

Read the Agência Fapesp news article on CINE research that evaluated the performance of an electrocatalyst for sustainable ammonia production.

Watch the Agência Fapesp video about a CINE study that could improve the performance of sodium-based supercapacitors.

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