On October 15, 2026, ERA Talents from the HPMC4I research group at CEITEC, shared their experiences from recent international secondments carried out within the CLiCAM project.

Dr. Serhy Tkachenko presented insights and knowledge gained during his training at Zoz GmbH (Germany), while Assoc. Prof. Ladislav Čelko shared his experiences from his secondment at Castolin Eutectic (Poland).

Both speakers highlighted the technologies explored, practical skills acquired, and valuable insights gained through international collaboration. Beyond technical expertise, they also shared experiences related to project management, leadership, and communication.

We sincerely thank both speakers for sharing their knowledge and inspiring their colleagues! We look forward to more valuable experiences and insights from upcoming secondments within the CLiCAM project.

Dr. Omid Sharifahmadian, a CLiCAM ERA Talent, recently presented his final findings on diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings for glass substrates and technical textiles at AGC Interpane in Lauenförde, Germany.

The presentation marked the conclusion of his nine-month secondment, during which he carried out a training focused on the development and characterization of advanced DLC coatings. Dr. Sharifahmadian presented main results achieved during the secondment and discussed potential future experimental approaches to further improve the performance and functionality of DLC coatings.

The presentation brought together researchers and engineering specialists from AGC Interpane in Germany and the AGC Technovation Centre in Belgium, including Dr. Hugues Wiame (online), Dr. Hansjörg Weis, Dr. Jeroen Schotsaert (online), Dr. Philippe Roquiny (online), Dr. Rebeca Falcao, and Dr. Rajesh Mundotia (online).

The discussions focused on the performance, functionality, and durability of the developed coating systems. The exchange of expertise and results provided an opportunity to identify future research directions and strengthen collaboration between the FunGlass Centre and the AGC Group.

CLiCAM ERA talent, Assoc. Prof. Amirhossein Pakseresht, PhD., successfully completed his 3-month practical stay at PMG-Ouest Coating in Saint-Nazaire, France.

Working alongside experts allowed him to gain hands-on experience and deep insights in the field of anti-sticking coatings. This international collaboration not only broadened his technical expertise but also provided a relevant perspective for future projects, particularly the laser treatment of this type of coatings.

The journey, however, did not end upon his return. In early October, Amir had the pleasure of presenting his experience and findings to the Coating Processes Department at FunGlass – Centre for Functional and Surface Functionalized Glass. His presentation was followed by an engaged discussion about the practical takeaways from France.

We would like to thank Amir for this accomplishment and supporting the scientific knowledge-transfer!

From 27–30 September 2026, members of the HPMC4I research group, including ERA Talents trio, actively participated in the 19th European Symposium on Comminution & Classification (ESCC 2026), hosted by the University of Naples Federico II. 

Four days of powder technology, mechanochemistry, milling technology, modelling of powder processing, inspiring discussions and new connections have been enriched by presenations of CLiCAM ERA Talents from CEITEC (BUT):

• Ladislav Čelko - Modification of Magnesium-Aluminate Spindel Powder for Thermal Spray Application
• Serhy Tkachenko - Effects on High-Enegry Kinetic Milling Conditions on the Mechanochemically Assisted Synthesis of Lanthanum Cobalt Oxide
• Michaela Remešová - The Role of Powder Size Distribution on the Flowability of Ceramic Thermal Spray Powders

ESCC2026 was a great opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen international connections, and explore new research collaborations. Many thanks to the organisers, colleagues and partners for the inspiring discussions and new opportunities!

CLiCAM project continues to strengthen expertise and knowledge exchange between academia and industry through its programme of secondments. Recently in September, two of our ERA talents started their practical stay at Treibacher Industrie AG, Austria, gaining access to industrial expertise, advanced coating processes, and specialized characterization facilities, under supervision of Dr. Ing. Richard Trache.

During the secondment, Dr. Kamalan Mosas will focus on the development and performance evaluation of high entropy ceramic coatings, produced by thermal spraying with a particular focus on understanding the relationship between coating microstructure and thermal cyclic performance. Dr. Fatih Kurtuldu will conduct experiments on multifunctional coatings, designed to provide tailored surface properties.

We look forward to delivering further news on their progress as well as new scientific and technological insights from their work at TIAG. 

Dr. Rajesh Mundotia, a CLiCAM ERA Talent, presented the final findings on low-emissivity (Low-E) coatings for technical textiles at AGC Interpane in Lauenförde, Germany. Outlining results from his one-year secondment training and initiatives, Dr. Mundotia also highlighted future experimental pathways to advance Low-E coating capabilities.

The presentation conveyed in presence of key engineering and research specialists from both AGC Interpane (Germany) and the AGC Technovation Centre (Belgium), including Dr. Hugues Wiame, Dr. Hansjörg Weis, Dr. Jeroen Schotsaert, Dr. Rebeca Correia and Dr. Louis Dellieu. Discussions centered on the performance, functionality, and durability of the developed coating systems for Low-E applications of technical textiles, establishing a foundation for prolonged collaboration between the FunGlass center and the AGC Group.

From left, Dr. Omid Sharifahmadian, Dr. Rebeca Correia, Dr. Louis Dellieu (online), Dr. Jeroen Schotsaert (online), Dr. Hugues Wiame (online), Dr. Rajesh Mundotia and Dr. Hansjörg Weis after a very productive discussion at AGC Interpane, Lauenförde, Germany.

Dr. Omid Sharifahmadian and Dr. Rajesh Mundotia discussed opportunities for stronger collaboration with European partners and the development of joint proposals for upcoming Horizon Europe calls. Potential areas of collaboration include advanced coatings, technical textiles, and innovative materials, with the shared objective of building strong international consortia and pursuing future European research and innovation funding opportunities. Strengthening collaboration with European industry and research institutions is an important element of the CLiCAM strategy, supporting the development of new partnerships and collaborative initiatives.

The three-day training “Business Plan Preparation / Strategic Decision Making and Entrepreneurial Spirit” has successfully concluded, marking the final workshop within the CLiCAM Innovation Leadership Programme.

The training combined practical learning, hands-on exercises, strategic challenges, teamwork and discussions. Participants gained practical tools and knowledge for developing business ideas, making strategic decisions and transforming research and innovation into viable entrepreneurial opportunities.

From Strategy to Action with CAPSIM

A central part of the training was the CAPSIM Capstone 2.0 business simulation, which allowed participants to experience the challenges of managing a technology-driven company in a competitive market. Working in teams, they made strategic and operational decisions across different areas of their virtual companies and experienced first-hand how individual decisions can influence overall business performance.

Across five simulation rounds, teams developed and refined their strategies while addressing R&D, marketing, finance, human resources and operations. Facilitator guidance, discussions and reflection helped participants analyse their results and learn from both successful and challenging decisions.

Financial Planning and Multifunctional Decision-Making

The second part of the training focused on the fundamentals of financial planning and company valuation, with particular attention to technology startups and research-based ventures.

Participants also explored multifunctional decision-making through group discussions and practical scenarios. They learned how decisions in different areas of a company are interconnected and how strategic choices can affect the organisation as a whole.

Innovation Leadership and Entrepreneurial Spirit

The final day focused on innovation leadership and entrepreneurial pathways. Participants explored ways to foster innovation in research environments, strengthen leadership skills and identify opportunities to transform university research into entrepreneurial ventures.

Learning Through Collaboration

Throughout the three days, participants actively engaged in group work, discussions, practical exercises and team-building activities. The combination of theory and practice created an interactive learning environment where participants could develop their decision-making skills, exchange experiences and learn from one another.

We would like to thank all participants for their active involvement, enthusiasm and valuable contributions throughout the training. Special thanks go to Dr. Erik Kubička for sharing his expertise, experience and practical insights into strategic management, entrepreneurship and business development.

We are happy to share details from the secondment of our ERA talent Dr. Serhii Tkachenko, at Zoz GmbH in the city of Wenden, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

During the ongoing phase of his secondment, owing to the kind support of Zoz GmbH Director Katharina Zoz and Ing. Hans Ulrich Benz, he accomplished a series of experimental mechanochemical syntheses, producing highly reactive powders. He designed experiments and worked on high-kinetic ball milling process parameters such as powder mixture composition, milling speed, ball-to-powder ratio, and milling time.

Another important secondment phase involved training related to corporate management, innovation policy, and successful product R&D. Moreover, he had the opportunity to present his findings and experience at Zoz GmbH at the international conference ECC10, establishing new collaborations with international colleagues from the National Institute of Chemistry (Slovenia), Ruđer Bošković Institute (Croatia), and Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany).

On August 14, 2026, CLiCAM was excited to support a scientific seminar entitled “Structural and Compositional Disorder as Design Tools for Next-Gen Inorganic Materials”. Held at the FunGlass Centre, Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, and simultaneously, streamed for online participants, the event welcomed Prof. Emanuel Ionescu, full professor of Chemical Materials Technology at the Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics (TU Wien). His research mainly deals with the synthesis and processing of advanced ceramics and functional materials, spanning polymer-derived ceramics, compositionally complex ceramics, materials for extreme environments, and functional materials tailored for energy, sensing, and catalysis.

In his seminar, Professor Ionescu highlighted recent advancements in polymer-derived ceramics featuring advanced sensing capabilities and addressed compositionally complex ceramics engineered for superior thermal stability and mechanical performance. Additionally, he emphasized the role of these materials in circular materials design, demonstrating how tailorable complexity and disorder can drive the development of high-performance, multifunctional materials.

Structural and Compositional Disorder as Design Tools for Next-Generation Inorganic Materials
(Scientific Seminar at FunGlass Centre, A. Dubček University of Trenčín)

Following the seminar, participants took a labtour across the FunGlass Center, where introduced to the research infrastructure, ongoing projects and specialization of departments. CLiCAM is truly grateful to Professor Ionescu for his valuable lecture and proud to support an inspiring event and scientific collaboration!

CLiCAM ERA talent Dr. Anastasiia Novokhatska has successfully completed her secondment at PMG Ouest Coating in Saint-Nazaire, France. During her secondment, she gained valuable industrial experience in advanced thermal spray and cold spray technologies.

Working alongside Dr Sébastien Beauvais and the PMG Ouest Coating team, she participated in hands-on training in high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF), atmospheric plasma spray (APS) and cold spray processes. She contributed to projects investigating the influence of surface treatment and particle velocity on the mechanical, structural, and corrosion properties of advanced ceramic and composite coatings.

She also participated in every stage of the coating process, from surface preparation and optimization of spray parameters to coating deposition, post-processing, and quality assessment. Besides working with laboratory specimens, she worked with real industrial components for the nuclear energy and aerospace sectors, applying advanced characterization methods including adhesion testing, penetration testing, and metallographic analysis.

Dr. Novokhatska also contributed to the development of a strategy for producing graded, porous, composite cermet coatings using thermal spray technology. She optimized the spraying process and operating parameters to achieve coatings with controlled gradients in porosity and composition. This supports the development of advanced functional materials for demanding engineering applications.

This secondment strengthened the collaboration between academic and industrial partners, providing valuable expertise to support the development of more durable, high-performance and corrosion-resistant coatings. Thank you sincerely to the entire PMG Ouest Coating team for their guidance, support and collaboration throughout this rewarding experience!