The Pennsylvania State University and U.K.-based Battalion Advanced Technology Ltd. have entered into two major three-year research agreements valued at up to $6 million. The joint initiative focuses on engineering cutting-edge semiconductor architectures and extreme-temperature alloys to power next-generation aerospace, clean energy, transportation, and national defense applications.
Spearheaded by scientists at Penn State’s Materials Research Institute (MRI), the collaborative programs tackle two persistent materials hurdles: integrating wide-bandgap semiconductors onto ultra-high-conductivity thermal substrates, and creating oxidation-resistant refractory alloys engineered for hypersonic flight. Battalion, an advanced materials firm specializing in dual-use technologies, will contribute up to $1 million annually per project under the contracts.
This material-level push directly complements accelerating advancements across computing. Modern artificial intelligence platforms and deep-learning clusters require unprecedented power handling and fast thermal dissipation to support demanding training workloads. By engineering specialized wide-bandgap interfaces and durable packaging substrates, the team’s semiconductor innovations provide the structural foundation needed to prevent thermal bottlenecks in high-density AI power supplies and mission-critical edge-compute processors.
The semiconductor research stream is guided by Joan Redwing, distinguished professor of materials science, engineering, and electrical engineering. Her group is pioneering methods to marry gallium nitride (GaN) and ultrawide-bandgap materials with high-performance thermal heat spreaders such as synthetic diamond and aluminum nitride. Because lattice mismatches typically generate structural defects and interfacial resistance, the team is deploying atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) interlayers to relieve strain and optimize heat dissipation.
“By using atomically thin two-dimensional materials as interlayers, we aim to minimize crystalline defects and interfacial thermal resistance while enabling wide-bandgap semiconductor growth on high thermal conductivity substrates that have traditionally been incompatible with direct deposition,” Redwing explained. Co-principal investigators include MRI Director Joshua Robinson, mechanical engineering professor Adrianus van Duin, and MRI assistant research professor Chen Chen.
Concurrently, the high-temperature alloys project is directed by Douglas Wolfe, associate vice president for research and materials science professor. Wolfe’s team is concentrating on refractory metals—primarily tungsten, molybdenum, and niobium—which retain mechanical integrity under severe aerodynamic friction but suffer from catastrophic surface oxidation. The researchers are developing novel alloy chemistries, functionally graded compositions, and barrier coatings to withstand hypersonic regimes, nuclear applications, and deep-space missions. Co-PIs include Evan Pugh University Professor Long-Qing Chen and research professor Bed Poudel.
“Pennsylvania has the talent, research institutions, and innovative spirit to help America lead in the technologies that will define our economic and national security,” said U.S. Senator Dave McCormick, praising the initiative.
Michael Jones, Director of Battalion, added, “We are very pleased to be supporting the development of leading innovations with essential dual uses for national security and economic technologies. We are able to work on highly sophisticated solutions immediately through our partnership with Penn State.
