Leaders of the project teams from FunGlass (Prof. Galusek), Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SAS (Dr. Prnova), and University of Žilina (Dr. Kajan), met on September 9, 2020 in Trenčín to discuss recent advances, and future plans of the project APVV -19-0010 “Advanced materials with eutectic microstructure for high temperature and functional applications”, acronym EuMat.

The main objective of the project is the preparation of advanced ceramic materials with eutectic microstructures (i.e. the microstructure containing two, or more crystalline phases percolating at submicron level) through controlled crystallisation of glasses of relevant composition, and through solidification of melts in the systems RE₂O₃-Al₂O₃-(ZrO₂), where RE = Y, Yb, La…, eventually also doped with optically active rare earth elements (Er, Eu, Ce) with exceptional high temperature mechanical (creep resistance) and luminescence properties in a broad range of electromagnetic radiation spectra.

The project officially started in July 2020, and its activities are planned until June 2024.