The Changing Landscape of Materials Discovery

Abstract

In this perspective, we will discuss the impact of some of the most recent advancements in materials discovery, particularly focusing on the role of robotics, artificial intelligence, and self-driving laboratories, as well as their implications for the Swiss research landscape. While it seems timely to aim for broad, revolutionary breakthroughs in this field, we argue that more incremental steps – such as, for example, fully automatic grinding of solid powders or fully automated Rietveld refinements – may have a more significant impact on materials discovery, at least in the short run. In the center of these considerations is how small, interdisciplinary groups can drive significant progress by contributing targeted innovations, such as e.g.robotic sample preparation or computational predictions. Additionally, given the large investments that are necessary for future infrastructures in materials discovery, we discuss the potential case for the establishment – in the long run – of a national infrastructure, a Swiss Materials Discovery Lab, to support automated material synthesis and advanced characterization, ultimately accelerating innovation in both academic and industrial settings.