Research

VCU is developing a new magnet for use in renewable power generators and EV motors that requires no rare earth minerals. Rare earths are difficult and expensive to process, but they make electric motors and generators smaller, lighter, and more efficient. VCU would replace the rare earth minerals in EV motor magnets with a low-cost and abundant carbon-based compound that resembles a fine black powder. This new magnet could demonstrate the same level of performance as the best commercial magnets available today at a significantly lower cost. The ultimate goal of this project is to demonstrate this new magnet in a prototype electric motor.

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2-state and 4-state nanomagnetic computing is made by electron beam lithography in the NCC and characterized with atomic and magnetic force microscopy in the NCC.

Elliptical nanomagnets acting 2-state memory (right). Images courtesy N. D’Souza, Ph.D. former PhD student in J. Atulasimha, Ph.D.’s group, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, VCU.

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