Meet our Partners: Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM)

Continuing our “Meet our Partners” campaign, we move to the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM). Ranked among the top universities worldwide and a leader in research within Spain, UAM brings decades of specialised knowledge to the CILANTRO consortium through its MIRE group.

The Role: Decades of Hydrogen Expertise

The MIRE group has been a scientific reference point for over 40 years, specialising in the synthesis and characterisation of how materials interact with hydrogen. While their work spans electrolysers and H-storage systems, their role in CILANTRO focuses on the very foundation of our chemical process.

Within the project, the UAM team is dedicated to exploring new reaction pathways to decompose calcite. By using reactive milling assisted by hydrogen, they are helping to define the specific conditions needed to trigger the transition from traditional limestone to sustainable cement minerals at ambient temperatures.

The Team Behind the Science

The research at UAM is led by a team of experienced professors alongside our project’s first PhD researcher:

• Jose Ares: Professor.

• Isabel Jimenez: Professor.

• Fabrice Leardini: Professor.

• Théo Costa: PhD Student.

This blend of senior expertise and new research talent ensures that the fundamental science of CILANTRO is backed by forty years of institutional memory and fresh academic inquiry.

Leading the Way in Advanced Materials

UAM is not just a teaching institution; it is a research powerhouse. As the top-ranked university in Madrid, it leads major initiatives in nanoscience and advanced materials. Its collaboration with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) creates a unique ecosystem where academic research meets industrial application—the exact environment needed for a project as complex as CILANTRO.

“CILANTRO provides us with an exceptional framework to explore both fundamental and applied science. It allows us to harness the properties of hydrogen beyond conventional approaches, seeking new ways to address industrial sustainability.” — The UAM-MIRE Team

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.