Federal Cooperative Agreement Summary

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute received a $736,925 Cooperative Agreement award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) under CFDA 81.135, effective July 14, 2026, with a completion date of July 13, 2029. The project, titled "Motifs to Magnets: Ultra-Strong Magnets Through Wyckoff and LEGO-Like Design," seeks to develop a new generation of ultra-strong permanent magnets with enhanced performance while reducing dependence on traditional rare-earth materials. The award supports research and development activities combining advanced computer modeling, high-throughput thin-film synthesis, and bulk materials testing to identify promising magnet compositions that improve magnetic strength, increase energy density, and raise operating temperatures beyond current commercial capabilities.

The deliverables encompass the design and synthesis of next-generation permanent magnets using a novel "motif-engineered" strategy that positions specific clusters of magnetic atoms—such as iron, cobalt, nickel, manganese, and select rare-earth elements—into optimized positions within crystalline structures. The multidisciplinary team brings expertise in materials design, solid-state chemistry, physics, and industrial applications. Successful completion of this effort is expected to yield ultra-strong magnets with improved performance and lower costs, supporting domestic supply chain security for critical technologies in transportation, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing applications.