On January 23, 2026, the UK's Henry Royce Institute officially released the "Interim Report for Consultation on the National Framework for Materials 4.0", establishing the first unified national development path for a digital materials ecosystem and laying the foundation for the digital transformation of the entire life cycle of the materials industry. Integrating core elements such as advanced materials modeling, AI algorithms, and big data, the framework breaks down data barriers from R&D, manufacturing to recycling, promising to significantly shorten the R&D cycle of new materials and improve resource utilization efficiency.
    The framework defines two core components: the full material process chain and digital enabling elements, focusing on five strategic application areas including wind turbine blade composites and battery materials, with plans to develop benchmark demonstration projects. Data shows that the UK has launched 5,928 related projects since 2005, and this framework will promote the coordinated development of these resources, helping the UK consolidate its leading position in global materials innovation. In addition, the framework complements the UK's "AI Strategy for Science", jointly outlining a blueprint for data-driven technological innovation. The CEO of the Royce Institute emphasized that Materials 4.0 will reshape the industry model and provide key support for goals such as net-zero emissions and clean energy.

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