Researchers from the Centre for Non-Equilibrium Processes, a Centre of Excellence of the Institute of Physics Belgrade, participated in the prestigious international conference Materials Research Meeting (MRM2025) in Yokohama, Japan, where they presented the results of the Centre’s research. This interdisciplinary meeting, which traditionally gathers more than 1,000 researchers from various fields, aims to open new directions in materials research and to connect research groups.
Dr Nevena Puač, who heads the Centre for Non-Equilibrium Processes, was the keynote lecturer at MRM2025 in the cluster Sustainable Futures Through Advanced Materials and Water Science.
In her lecture, Dr Puač provided an overview of the current state in the scientific field of the application of non-equilibrium plasmas in agriculture and water treatment.
’Since this is a new cluster introduced into the MRM conference programme, it means that the field of non-equilibrium plasmas application in agriculture and water treatment has been recognised as one of the key ones. The goal of the lecture was to present the Centre’s results in this field as well as the general overview of the most important achievements. The lecture showcased the possibilities of non-equilibrium plasma application in this multidisciplinary field, while also identifying the challenges we face in transferring this technology from the laboratory to practical applications in the agricultural and food industries, as well as in water treatment,” explained Dr Puač.
Along with Dr Puač, Dr Nikola Škoro, a researcher from the Centre for Non-Equilibrium Processes, also took part in the MRM2025, giving the lecture within the cluster dedicated to agriculture and plasma – Plasma Agriculture: an Emerging Field. The title of the lecture was Potential of atmospheric pressure plasma for application in agriculture – water treatment by atmospheric pressure pin-jet for activation and decontamination.
MRM2025 represents a platform for discussing the advancements and applications in cutting-edge materials science, addressing global environmental challenges and working toward the realisation of a sustainable society. The first Materials Research Meeting was held in December 2019 in Yokohama, attracting over 1,800 participants from around the world. The second MRM took place in December 2021 in Yokohama during the COVID-19 pandemic in a hybrid format, with more than 1,600 participants. The third MRM took place in Kyoto, bringing together over 2,000 participants.
This year’s meeting brought together researchers from materials science and related fields to share ideas for the practical application of innovative materials and processes, exploring strategic developments for next-generation materials research. The meeting gathered renowned scientists who, through diverse topics, sought to strengthen the contribution of materials science toward achieving sustainability.‘MRM Conference is one of the largest conferences in the non-equilibrium plasma sphere organised in Asia, with numerous participants both from the academic community and industry,’ explained Dr Puač. She also added that most already existing industrial processes, which utilise the application of non-equilibrium plasmas, had already been presented as ideas in these kinds of conferences, particularly in Asia. ’Having been invited to give these two lectures has been significant for us, since it demonstrates that the Centre has been recognised internationally for its research in the field of the applications of non-equilibrium plasmas in agriculture and water treatment’.