ARMS Project - News & Events

ARMS Research Presented at IEEE NMDC 2026

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Project ARMS was represented at the IEEE Nanotechnology Materials and Devices Conference (IEEE NMDC 2026), held in Xanthi, Greece, from 30 September to 3 October 2026. During the conference, Hamed Pourkheirollah from Tampere University presented the latest ARMS research on advanced materials for energy storage applications.

Showcasing ARMS Research on Supercapacitors

At the conference, Dr. Pourkheirollah presented the talk entitled "Atomic Layer Deposition of TiO₂ on Activated Carbon Electrodes for Supercapacitor Applications." The presentation highlighted ongoing ARMS research exploring atomic layer deposition (ALD) to enhance the performance of activated carbon electrodes used in supercapacitors.

The work investigates how thin and uniform titanium dioxide (TiO₂) coatings deposited by ALD can influence electrode properties and contribute to the development of high-performance energy storage devices. The research aligns with ARMS' broader goal of advancing innovative materials and manufacturing approaches for next-generation energy storage technologies.

Networking and Knowledge Exchange

IEEE NMDC 2026 brought together researchers, scientists, and industry experts in nanotechnology, advanced materials, electronic devices, and related applications. The event provided an excellent opportunity to share ARMS research results, exchange knowledge with international experts, and explore emerging developments across multiple disciplines.

Participation in the conference also enabled discussions on future collaboration opportunities and strengthened connections with the wider scientific community working on advanced materials and energy technologies.

Advanced Training Opportunity

In addition to presenting ARMS research, Dr Pourkheirollah was selected to participate in the "Nanoscale to System-Level Electronic Design Masterclass", organised as part of the conference programme. The masterclass offered participants the opportunity to gain broader insights into electronic design, spanning perspectives from nanoscale materials and devices to system-level applications.

Supporting Scientific Excellence

By participating in IEEE NMDC 2026, the ARMS project continues to increase the visibility of its research, engage with leading experts in the field, and contribute to advancing innovative solutions for energy storage technologies.

The ARMS consortium thanks the conference organisers and participants for a valuable and inspiring event and looks forward to continuing its research and collaboration activities within the international nanotechnology and advanced materials community.

ARMS Project Presented Research and Strengthened Collaboration at Graphene Week 2026

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

From 21-25 September 2026, the ARMS project joined researchers, innovators, and industry leaders at Graphene Week 2026 in Porto, Portugal. The event provided an excellent platform for ARMS partners to showcase recent research results, strengthen collaborations, and exchange knowledge with the wider Graphene Flagship community.

At the event, Dr Hamed Pourkheirollah from Tampere University and Dr Jinhua Sun and Komal Gola from Chalmers University of Technology represented project ARMS, showcasing the project's latest research developments while engaging with an international community of graphene and advanced materials experts.

Since it is one of the major events in the field of graphene, two-dimensional materials, and innovative advanced materials, Graphene Week brought together researchers, representatives from industry, and other stakeholders in innovation to discuss scientific advances, commercialisation opportunities, and future research directions. Contributions

Throughout the Week

While the event was taking place, Hamed Pourkheirollah took part in a number of high-level activities, such as the meeting of the Project Managers Network and the Graphene Flagship Forum, at which he served as a panelist in a roundtable debate looking at Europe's position and future prospects in the area of 2D materials and advanced materials. He also gave a presentation on the ARMS project in the Commercialization Pitches session of the Innovation Forum, emphasizing the progress of the project and its potential to contribute to next-generation energy-storage technologies.

Throughout the week. Photo: Hamed Pourkheirollah (Tampere University)

Joint ARMS and GRAPHERGIA Workshop

A major feature of Graphene Week 2026 was the joint ARMS-GRAPHERGIA workshop entitled "Scalable Graphene Technologies for Smart Textiles and Energy Storage", which gathered experts who were working on graphene-enabled solutions for energy-storage applications.

The workshop included presentations given by the invited speakers and by the project partners, such as Professor Sheng Dai from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Professor Spyros Yannopoulos from the University of Patras, Dr. Apurba Ray of the German Aerospace Center, DLR, and also by representatives of both projects.

On behalf of ARMS, Hamed Pourkheirollah outlined the latest findings concerning the application of atomic layer deposition (ALD) in porous activated carbon electrodes, showing how ALD can enhance the capacitance and energy density of printed supercapacitors. Komal Gola gave a talk concerning the growth of porous rGO:MXene composites on carbon fibres for use in structural supercapacitors. In her presentation she pointed out the possibility of obtaining multifunctional materials by combining reduced graphene oxide (rGO), MXenes, and carbon fibres, materials which provide both mechanical strength and the ability to store energy. She also talked about the problem of MXene oxidation and the possible role of atomic layer deposition in improving the long-term stability of the material without compromising its electrochemical performance.

From left to right: Hamed Pourkheirollah (ARMS), Spyros Yannopoulos (GRAPHERGIA), Sheng Dai (University of Tennessee, Knoxville), Apurba Ray (GRAPHERGIA) and Komal Gola (ARMS). Photo: GRAPHERGIA.

Advancing Research and Collaboration

The opportunity to take part in Graphene Week 2026 was valuable in terms of sharing the ARMS results, exchanging knowledge with the wider Graphene Flagship community, and enhancing collaborations with other projects. The event underscored the project's ongoing work to develop innovative graphene-based materials and technologies that can contribute to the next generation of sustainable, high-performance energy-storage solutions.

The ARMS consortium would like to thank the organizers of Graphene Week 2026, the workshop speakers, and all the participants for the stimulating discussions and the cooperative atmosphere that contributed to the event's success.

ARMS and GRAPHERGIA Workshop: Scalable graphene technologies for smart textiles, wearable electronics and next-generation supercapacitors

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:58:00 +0000

During Graphene Week 2026, held this year in Porto, Portugal, the ARMS and GRAPHERGIA projects will co-host a workshop on the latest advances in scalable graphene technologies for smart textiles, wearable electronics, and next-generation supercapacitors.

The workshop will take place on September 24 from 16:05 to 18:05 and will bring together researchers, industry professionals, and other stakeholders involved in innovation to examine the role that graphene and related materials play in developing energy-autonomous systems. The programme will focus on recent advances in materials, scalable manufacturing technologies, and device integration. It will show how graphene-based innovations are approaching real-world applications.

The workshop will highlight innovative methods for graphene-based energy harvesting and storage. It will promote collaboration across the European graphene innovation ecosystem by combining expertise from both projects, both part of the Graphene Flagship.

Workshop Objectives

The workshop aims to foster knowledge exchange by bringing together researchers, industry experts, and stakeholders to share the latest advances in scalable graphene technologies for smart textiles, wearable electronics, and high-performance supercapacitors. It will also strengthen cross-project synergies by showcasing complementary developments in laser-assisted graphene manufacturing, advanced electrode design, atomic layer deposition, and device integration. Through presentations and discussions, participants will explore pathways to scale up, validate, and deploy graphene-enabled energy harvesting and storage technologies in real-world applications. The workshop will address key scientific, technological, and industrial challenges and identify emerging opportunities for sustainable, energy-autonomous systems based on graphene and related materials.

Spyros Yannopoulos, Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Patras, Research Director at FORTH/ICE-HT, and Coordinator of GRAPHERGIA, will chair the workshop alongside Hamed Pourkheirollah, Postdoctoral Researcher and Project Manager at Tampere University, representing the ARMS project. The session will feature a plenary lecture by Dr. Sheng Dai, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (USA), who will share insights into the latest developments in advanced carbon materials and processing technologies.

Workshop programme

16:05 – 16:45
Sheng Dai (University of Tennessee, USA)
Unconventional Carbon Processing
16:45 – 17:10
Spyros Yannopoulos (FORTH & University of Patras, Greece)
Laser-Enabled Graphene Integration for Flexible Electronics and Energy Storage
17:10 – 17:35
Hamed Pourkheirollah (Tampere University, Finland)
Atomic Layer Deposition of Metal Oxides on Porous Carbon Electrodes for High-Performance Supercapacitors
17:35 – 17:55
Apurba Ray (German Aerospace Center, Germany)
Powering the Future with Graphene: High-Performance Flexible Laser-Induced Graphene and Ionic Liquid Gel Electrolyte Micro-Supercapacitors for Wearable Electronics
17:55 – 18:15
Komal Gola (Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden)
Surface Growth of Porous rGO:MXene Composite Electrodes on Carbon Fibers for Structural Supercapacitors
18:15 – 18:20
Discussion and Closing Remarks

This workshop provides a unique opportunity to discover the latest developments in graphene-enabled energy storage and harvesting technologies. It also allows engagement with experts working to translate cutting-edge research into scalable and sustainable solutions for future wearable and structural energy systems.

Latest ARMS publication highlights advances in flexible energy storage

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 12:19:00 +0000

A new publication from ARMS researchers highlights an innovative approach to improving flexible supercapacitors. Presented at IEEE FLEPS 2026 conference, the work demonstrates improved energy-storage performance and excellent long-term stability by using ultra-thin titanium dioxide coatings on activated carbon electrodes.

A new scientific publication, Charge-storage evolution of TiO₂ ALD-coated AC flexible supercapacitors over long-term cycling (DOI: 10.1109/FLEPS69128.2026.11645090), was published on 12 August 2026 in the proceedings of the 2026 IEEE International Conference on Flexible and Printable Sensors and Systems (FLEPS). The authors presented the study at the conference held 12-15 July 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Authored by Remuel Isaac M. Vitto, Hamed Pourkheirollah, Jari Keskinen, Paul R. Berger (also affiliated with The Ohio State University, USA), and Matti Mäntysalo from the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences at Tampere University, Finland.

As flexible and wearable electronic devices become increasingly common, the need for efficient, reliable energy storage solutions is growing. Supercapacitors are particularly attractive because they can charge and discharge quickly while delivering high power. However, improving their energy-storage capacity without compromising durability remains a challenge.

In this study, the researchers explored activated carbon electrodes coated with an ultra-thin layer of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) deposited through atomic layer deposition (ALD). The coated electrodes achieved a capacitance of 34 F/g while retaining 98% of their performance after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles, demonstrating excellent long-term stability.

The researchers also observed improved charge-storage behaviour during long-term cycling. Increased surface accessibility and enhanced capacitive charge contributions improved capacitance by 16% initially and up to 32% after extended cycling, highlighting the effectiveness of ALD-deposited metal oxide coatings in enhancing the electrochemical performance of activated carbon while maintaining excellent cycling stability.

Overall, the findings demonstrate the strong potential of TiO₂-coated activated carbon supercapacitors for future flexible and wearable electronic applications, where reliable and long-lasting energy storage is essential.

The IEEE International Conference on Flexible and Printable Sensors and Systems (FLEPS) is a leading international forum dedicated to advances in flexible and printable electronics. The conference brings together researchers and industry experts working on flexible sensors, wearable devices, advanced materials, printed electronics, energy harvesting, energy storage, and smart systems, providing a platform for showcasing innovations that support the next generation of flexible technologies.

Thinking big in a nano-world

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Dr. Aivars Zhurinh un Dr. Aleksandrs Volperts from the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry demonstrate cassette with activation compartments. The oven is open for observation.

How do you turn a few grams of laboratory material into kilograms needed for real-world applications? The ARMS team is taking activated carbon production to the next level by developing a specialized biomass activation unit designed for safe, efficient, and large-scale processing.

Activation line in assembled state. Photo: Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry.

Activated carbons are the materials with nanoscale pores (1-5 nm, to be exact), which is just ten in the power of minus nine meters. To imagine how small it is you can imagine that smallest bacteria are around 500 nm, and even the tiniest of viruses are 20 nm or more. In another words 1 nm is to a bacterium as a marble is to a football stadium. Nevertheless, we need quite a lot of our precious activated carbons with nano-scale pores for our project development – we are talking about several kilograms here, which is a part of ARMS project to demonstrate how far can we go from just a dream and concept. This is exactly when we need to start thinking big and upscale from lab bench up to some serious machinery. Having this in mind our team at LSIWC is developing a special unit for the biomass activation. It will be a tunnel type equipped with various gadgets to provide safe and efficient processing. The materials will go through three zones divided by airlocks, and everything will be purged with relatively heavy gas argon to ensure that no other oxidation processes will take place inside. It will start with heating up the raw materials, then the main activation zone, followed by the cooling down – 700 ^oC is serious deal, after all. This is a crucial step and notable piece of equipment, that will show the path from several grams in nano-world to the technology of future ays to come.

Movement and heating control units. Photo: Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry.

From Graphene Fibres to Flying Drones: Jinhua Sun Explains His ARMS Research in New Graphene Flagship Video

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:25:00 +0000

From Graphene Fibres to Flying Drones: Jinhua Sun Explains His ARMS Research in New Graphene Flagship Video

In a new video published by the Graphene Flagship, Jinhua Sun from Chalmers University of Technology takes viewers inside the ARMS project and explains how his team is using graphene to develop lighter, smarter energy storage solutions.

The video was filmed during Graphene Week 2025, where members of the graphene and 2D materials community gathered to share the latest scientific breakthroughs and innovations.

In the interview, Jinhua introduces his work on enhancing carbon fibres with vertically aligned graphene. While carbon fibres are already valued for being strong and lightweight, they are not particularly effective at storing energy. By adding graphene to their surface, researchers can increase both the available surface area and electrical conductivity, creating new possibilities for high-performance supercapacitors.

The approach developed within ARMS could help create energy storage devices that do more than just store energy. Imagine a component that is both part of a structure and a power source at the same time. This is one of the exciting concepts being explored in the project through structural supercapacitors.

Jinhua also highlights one of the potential applications being investigated by the consortium: drones. Because every gram matters in flight, reducing the weight of energy storage systems can make a real difference. By combining structural functions with energy storage capabilities, future materials could help drones fly longer and operate more efficiently.

But the potential goes far beyond drones. From transport to consumer electronics and other advanced technologies, lightweight graphene-enhanced energy storage could play an important role in the transition towards more efficient and sustainable solutions.

Most importantly, the video offers a glimpse into the people behind the science. Through researchers like Jinhua Sun, we can see how fundamental materials research is being transformed into technologies that may power the future.

Watch the video here.

See You at Graphene Week 2026!

Want to learn more about ARMS and meet the researchers behind the project?

The ARMS consortium will be at Graphene Week 2026 in Porto, Portugal, sharing the latest project results and discussing the future of graphene-enabled energy storage. If you're planning to attend, stop by and say hello. We'd love to meet you and talk about the exciting developments happening across the project.

ARMS Showcased at ECCM22 in Oslo

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Cintia Mateo (AIMEN Technology Centre) delivered a scientific presentation at the ECCM22 conference.

The ARMS project was represented at the 22nd European Conference on Composite Materials (ECCM22), held in Oslo, Norway, from 21–25 June, through the participation of project partner AIMEN Technology Centre.

During the conference, Cintia Mateo from ARMS partner organisation AIMEN Technology Centre delivered a scientific presentation titled “Development of Advanced Carbon Fibre-based Electrodes towards their Integration into High-performance Structural Supercapacitors” within the Functionality and Smart Systems session.

The presentation highlighted ongoing research on the development of advanced carbon fibre-based electrodes designed to enable multifunctional composite structures capable of both bearing mechanical loads and storing electrical energy. This work aligns closely with ARMS’ mission to advance next-generation multifunctional materials and energy-storage solutions for lightweight and high-performance applications.

ECCM22 provided an excellent platform to share ARMS research results with the international composites community, exchange knowledge with leading experts, and strengthen collaboration opportunities across academia and industry. As one of Europe’s leading conferences on composite materials and structures, ECCM brings together researchers, scientists, and industry professionals to discuss the latest scientific and technological developments in the field. The 2026 edition placed a particular focus on sustainability, disruptive technologies, and emerging applications across sectors such as aerospace, automotive, energy, maritime, infrastructure, and sports. Key themes included green and sustainable materials, recycling and repair technologies, advanced modelling and composite mechanics, digital and AI-assisted solutions, process monitoring and quality control, innovative characterization methods, and functional materials.

We thank AIMEN Technology Centre and Cintia Mateo for successfully representing the ARMS project at this prestigious event!

ARMS research results in a poster presentationat at FMNT 2026

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:52:00 +0000

Poster presentation at FMNT 2026 in Riga: Dāvis Kalniņš (ISSP UL) presents ARMS-related research on NaOH-activated birch-derived carbon materials for energy storage applications. Photo: Hamed Pourkheirollah.

On 16 June, the day following the ARMS workshop at the Functional Materials and Nanotechnologies (FMNT 2026) conference in Riga, Latvia, the ARMS project maintained its presence by showcasing research through a poster presentation that highlighted innovative ideas on sustainable materials for energy applications.

A poster presentation by Dāvis Kalniņš, a representative of the Energy Materials Laboratory of the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL), highlighted how everyday natural resources, such as birch wood, can be transformed into advanced materials for energy storage.

The presented research, “Structure–Driven Electrochemical Behavior of NaOH-Activated Birch Carbons for Energy Storage,” explores how carefully engineered biomass-derived carbon materials can enhance the performance of energy storage devices such as supercapacitors. By tailoring the structure and surface properties of these materials, the team demonstrates a pathway toward greener, high-performance alternatives to conventional electrode materials.

This work reflects the core ambition of the ARMS project: to develop sustainable, high-impact materials that support the transition to cleaner and more efficient energy technologies. By turning renewable resources into functional materials, ARMS partners are contributing to a circular approach in materials science—where waste and natural feedstocks become valuable components in future energy systems.

Participation in FMNT 2026 also provided an opportunity to connect with researchers from across Europe and beyond, exchange ideas, and showcase ARMS achievements to a broader scientific audience.

Read more about the FMNT 2026.
Read about the ARMS workshop at FMNT 2026.

Advancing Sustainable Energy Storage: Highlights from the ARMS Workshop at FM&NT 2026

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:26:00 +0000

ARMS team (from left: Inese Jansone, Gints Kučinskis, Remuel Vitto, Aleksandrs Voļperts, Jūlija Hodakovska, Dāvis Kalniņš, Tero Pilvi, Hamed Pourkheirollah). Photo: ARMS

On 15 June 2026, the ARMS project hosted a dedicated workshop at the FM&NT international conference in Riga, providing a platform to discuss the latest advances in supercapacitor materials and technologies.

The session showcased how ARMS is driving innovation in sustainable, high-performance energy storage solutions, focusing on combining graphene-based materials with atomic layer deposition (ALD) to create next-generation supercapacitors. The project aims to deliver environmentally friendly devices with improved energy density while maintaining high power and long cycle life.

The workshop opened with a presentation by Hamed Pourkheirollah (Tampere University, Finland), who introduced the ARMS project and highlighted its progress in developing graphene-rich porous carbon materials, scalable fabrication routes, and eco-friendly electrolytes.

The focus on sustainability was further developed by Dr. Aleksandrs Voļperts (Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry), who presented advances in biomass-derived activated carbons. His talk demonstrated how renewable feedstocks, such as wood and other biomass sources, can be transformed into high-performance electrode materials, thereby supporting circular and environmentally responsible energy storage solutions.

Providing essential scientific context, Dāvis Kalniņš (Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia) guided participants through the principles of supercapacitors and electrochemical measurement techniques, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive performance evaluation to ensure reliable, comparable results.

Advances in material engineering were highlighted by Remuel Isaac M. Vitto (Tampere University), who presented how atomic layer deposition (ALD) can be used to enhance electrode performance. His work demonstrated that ultra-thin, conformal coatings can significantly increase capacitance by introducing additional charge-storage mechanisms while preserving the porous structure of carbon materials.

Bringing an industry perspective, Tero Pilvi (Beneq, Finland) addressed the crucial step from laboratory research to real-world applications. His presentation focused on the scaling up of ALD technologies, outlining how advanced coating processes can be translated into large-scale manufacturing for supercapacitors and batteries.

Overall, the ARMS workshop provided a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, underlining the importance of collaboration between academia and industry. The presentations demonstrated strong progress across the value chain—from sustainable raw materials to scalable production technologies—reinforcing the project’s ambition to deliver next-generation supercapacitors that can compete with conventional energy storage solutions.

As the ARMS project continues, the insights shared during this workshop will help advance sustainable energy storage solutions, with the full session soon to be available on the ARMS YouTube channel.

From Master’s Thesis to ARMS research: a story from Tampere University

Wed, 20 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Muhammad Huzaifa Awais (right) at Tampere University, working in a controlled glovebox environment as part of the ARMS project, supporting materials development for energy storage applications.

As part of the MSc Materials Science and Engineering programme at Tampere University, Muhammad Huzaifa Awais contributed to the ARMS project through his master’s thesis, working as a Research Assistant at the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences (ITC).

His work was carried out within Work Package 3 (WP3) of the ARMS project and focused on investigating TiO₂ thin films deposited on bio-based activated carbon using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The aim of this research was to enhance the electrochemical properties of the material for supercapacitor applications.

By systematically varying the ALD deposition parameters, Awais examined how these changes influenced the performance of the resulting materials. The study combined electrochemical testing with advanced materials characterization methods to better understand the relationship between the structure of the oxide-decorated carbon and its electrochemical behaviour.

The results contribute to ARMS’ broader research approach, which integrates advanced carbon materials with metal oxide decoration via ALD. This work supports the project’s goal of developing scalable, cost-effective energy storage solutions based on graphene-rich, bio-based carbon materials.

Through this work, Awais’ master’s thesis demonstrates how student research can directly advance material development within collaborative European research projects such as ARMS.

Muhammad Huzaifa Awais Master thesis.