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CorePower Magnetics Wins 2025 R&D 100 Award for VulcanAlloy Nanocrystalline Material
- CorePower Magnetics
- Aug 28
- 2 min read
PITTSBURGH, PA — August 27, 2025 — CorePower Magnetics™, a leader in advanced magnetic materials and components, announced today that its collaborative innovation with the University of Pittsburgh, VulcanAlloy, has been named a winner of the prestigious 2025 R&D 100 Awards, recognizing the year’s most impactful innovations in science and technology.
This marks CorePower’s third R&D 100 Award — and our second consecutive year of recognition — highlighting our evolution from pioneering nanocrystalline alloys, to demonstrating their impact in advanced motor design, to now scaling a next-generation materials platform that enables more efficient, electrified, and decarbonized energy systems.
VulcanAlloy is a breakthrough nanocrystalline magnetic material engineered for high-frequency, high-efficiency power electronics applications. Developed through a partnership between CorePower Magnetics, the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering, NASA, and Raytheon Technologies, VulcanAlloy delivers exceptional thermal stability and magnetic performance, enabling next-generation electric motors, transformers, and inductors that are smaller, lighter, and more efficient.
“This award reflects the strength of our collaboration and the shared drive to push boundaries in magnetic materials,” said Dr. Paul Ohodnicki, CTO & Co-Founder of CorePower Magnetics and professor at the University of Pittsburgh. “As power levels continue to rise and systems shrink, VulcanAlloy’s high-temperature capability positions it as a critical enabler for the most demanding and high-performance systems spanning defense, commercial, and aerospace/aviation applications.”
The R&D 100 Awards, widely regarded as one of the highest honors in innovation, are presented annually by R&D World to spotlight breakthrough technologies from industry, academia, and government. VulcanAlloy was honored in the Mechanical/Materials category for its potential to transform electrified transportation, grid infrastructure, and industrial power systems, enabling a new class of magnetic components capable of operating in unprecedented environments.
“This recognition underscores the impact of strong academic–industry partnerships,” said Sam Kernion, CEO of CorePower Magnetics. “VulcanAlloy represents a leap forward in material science, and we’re proud to bring it from lab to market with the support of our partners at Pitt.”
CorePower Magnetics is advancing VulcanAlloy-based components toward commercialization, with scaling at its domestic manufacturing facility in Pittsburgh. Supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy through ARPA-E, the company has built a vertically integrated production model—from ribbon casting to final assembly—designed to enable rapid deployment and supply chain resilience for critical energy technologies.
About CorePower Magnetics
CorePower Magnetics™ designs and manufactures advanced magnetic components for next-generation power electronics. Our nanocrystalline core technology delivers higher efficiency, lower thermal losses, and compact, production-ready standardized inductors. We also provide engineered-to-order transformers, inductors, and rare-earth-free motors, along with amorphous ribbon for distribution transformers. With ISO 9001-certified, U.S.-based manufacturing, CorePower supports industries including data centers, grids & microgrids, EV charging, and industrial power.
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