"We are proud to support innovative research from Atlantic Canadians that will make EVs more affordable and efficient. It's time to build more resilient supply chains and a cleaner, more secure and more competitive economy," said the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.
The Government of Canada will contribute up to $1.4 million toward the project, led by Dr. Clodualdo Aranas, associate professor of engineering at UNB.
L to R: Dr. Kelly Scott-Storey, UNB; Luke Robertson, Green Economy Canada; Dr. Clod Aranas, UNB; Dr. Paul J. Mazerolle, UNB; Lori Clark, NB Power; MP David Myles
Aranas will lead a research project that aims to make EVs more efficient by developing new, strong magnets that can be produced right here in Canada. He will also continue to develop his work on high-silicon steels, another type of magnetic material.
"Our goal is to develop new, sustainable magnetic materials that not only match, but potentially exceed what is available on the market today, while being simpler and more cost-effective to produce," said Aranas.
"I am excited to work with colleagues and partners who share the vision of making electric vehicles more efficient and sustainable, and of building technologies that can be manufactured here at home."
Permanent magnets, also known as hard magnetic materials, are a crucial material for EVs, and form the core of an electric motor's ability to generate power.
Rare earth magnets are among the strongest permanent magnets and are especially valuable and important as a result. They are used in a wide range of technologies, including everything from headphones and computer hard drives to MRI scanners, wind turbines and EVs.
However, as the name suggests, they rely on minerals that are difficult to find and refine in large quantities. As a result, global production of these materials is limited, and researchers like Aranas are looking to create equivalent-strength magnets that rely less, or not at all, on these materials.
High-silicon electrical steels are classified as soft magnetic materials, because they can be quickly magnetized and demagnetized. These materials are used in a variety of EV technologies, including in electric motors, internal power systems, and EV charging stations, where their low electrical resistance increases their efficiency.
Aranas' research into this material has already identified the potential to create it at a lower cost and with less complexity than the current industry-standard method. With this funding, he will continue to explore how to optimize both the fabrication method and the performance of the resulting materials.
As the research into these two technologies advances, Aranas and his project partners intend to move them from the research lab to testing, at which point they aim to deliver a prototype motor that uses these new magnetic materials to industry partners who can carry them through to production.
"I am proud to see UNB researchers leading work on EV technology and contributing their expertise to this complex, challenging topic," said Dr. Paul J. Mazerolle, president and vice chancellor of UNB. "This support from the Government of Canada enables Dr. Aranas and his team to work on paving the way for a more sustainable, made-in-Canada transportation future."
Aranas' research into these magnetic materials has also received support from other funders and partners, including a $1.3 million NSERC Missions grant; $200,000 from Research NB's Strategic Opportunities Fund; $90,000 from each of the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation's Clean Tech Fund and Climate Impact Research Fund; $160,000 from UNB; and more than $600,000 in combined cash and in-kind support from project partners Natural Resources Canada's CanmetMATERIALS, Ontario Tech University and Victory Advanced Technologies.
