Inside the NTI–NTU Corporate Laboratory
Jointly established by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Nanofilm Technologies International (NTI Nanofilm), the S$66 million NTI–NTU Corporate Laboratory facility brings together NTU’s advanced research platforms and NTI Nanofilm’s industrial-scale coating systems within a single environment. The launch on 20 April 2026 was officiated by Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology.
The lab is supported by the National Research Foundation, Singapore under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 plan, and developed in partnership with Enterprise Singapore.
Designed as a translational platform, the Corporate Laboratory enables research, pilot-scale testing, and talent development to take place alongside industry — accelerating the journey from discovery to deployment including nanocoating sustainable manufacturing, as well as clean energy, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. More than 60 researchers and PhD candidates today are advancing next-gen nanotech solutions across four research thrusts — advanced materials, coating equipment, nanofabrication, and hydrogen energy.
 |
| Ms Goh Swee Chen, NTU Board Chair; Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology; Dr Shi Xu, NTI Nanofilm Founder, Executive Chairman and CEO; and Prof Lam Khin Yong, NTU Vice President (Industry) (left to right) at the official opening ceremony of the NTI–NTU Corporate Laboratory, marking the launch of a new platform for industry–academia collaboration. |
Where MSE Drives Impact: Advanced Materials and Hydrogen Energy
Within this ecosystem, NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) plays a key role across multiple projects — including in Advanced Materials and Hydrogen Energy, where Prof Ng Kee Woei, Chair of NTU MSE, and Prof Jason Xu Zhichuan are among the project leads driving these efforts.
Advanced Materials: Engineering Surfaces That Heal
One of the most immediate translational outcomes of the lab is in oral healthcare sector, where NTU, NTI Nanofilm, and the National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS) are collaborating to develop advanced coatings for dental prosthetics, with the aim of improving patient outcomes.
From Materials Design to Clinical Need
Dental implants operate in demanding environments — exposed to mechanical stress, microbial challenges and complex biological conditions. Current limitations can lead to:
- Infection risks and/or inflammation
- Weak tissue-implant integration
- Longer recovery times
To address this, MSE-led research focuses on advanced surface coatings, including the novel bioactive Tetrahedral Amorphous Carbon (ta-C) nanocomposite coatings.
 |
|
Models of tooth implants relating to the collaboration between NTU, NTI Nanofilm, and the National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS. |
- Bond strongly to titanium implant surfaces, improving durability
- Incorporate bioactive elements such as phosphate and magnesium to promote healing
- Provide antimicrobial properties, reducing infection risk
The result is a material system designed not just to protect, but to actively support biological integration.
“We are engineering coatings that do more than protect — they interact with the body to improve healing and integration at the implant interface,” said Prof Ng Kee Woei
As highlighted in the collaboration, these coatings have the potential to:
This work sits within a broader translational pathway over the next five years — from lab-based materials design, to biological validation, and onward into clinical testing with NDCS.
Hydrogen Energy: Engineering Catalysts for Real-World Performance
In parallel, NTU MSE contributes to hydrogen energy development through catalyst layer optimisation within a broader system led in collaboration with Sydrogen, NTI-Nanofilm’s effort in building sustainable energy solutions for the hydrogen economy.
Reducing Platinum, Retaining Performance
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) rely on platinum-based catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), where performance, durability, and cost are closely interlinked. At NTI–NTU Corporate Laboratory, the MSE team led by Prof Jason Xu Zhichuan focuses on optimising the catalyst layer — a critical component that directly impacts efficiency and lifespan — while working closely with Sydrogen on system-level integration.
This includes:
- Fine-tuning catalyst composition through alloying with cheaper transition metals like iron, cobalt and nickel, and introducing molybdenum doping to enhance stability
- Engineering nanoparticle structures to improve catalytic activity
- Evaluating performance under accelerated stress conditions to understand degradation behaviour
Working in tandem with Sydrogen’s development of other components — including bipolar plates and overall fuel cell stack design — this integrated approach enables closer alignment between materials design and real-world operating conditions to support the development of more durable, cost-effective, and commercially viable hydrogen systems.
“The focus is not just on improving a single material, but ensuring it performs reliably within the full system. We are continuing to optimise these catalysts in close collaboration with industry to translate them into practical, deployable solutions,” said Prof Jason Xu Zhichuan.
 |
| Sydrogen’s proprietary coating technologies for bipolar plates, alongside its fuel cell platforms, enabling system-level validation and scale-up of NTU MSE-optimised catalyst materials. |
Where Materials Meet the Future of Manufacturing
Across both biomedical coatings and hydrogen catalysts, a clear pattern emerges: materials are no longer developed in isolation, but engineered with application, scalability, and manufacturing constraints in mind from the outset. Within the NTI–NTU Corporate Laboratory, NTU MSE contributes to the integration of materials science, industrial capabilities, and real-world applications — supporting the translation of innovations into solutions for healthcare, energy systems, and advanced manufacturing.
