Canadian Finishing & Coatings Manufacturing Magazine May/June 2022 - 7

NEWS
AkzoNobel and Microsoft Explore Quantum Possibilities
AkzoNobel and Microsoft have teamed up to explore how
quantum computing could fast-track development of highperformance
and more sustainable paints and coatings.
Scientists from both companies will co-develop what will
effectively be a virtual laboratory. The aim is to conduct
experiments using quantum computing and other Microsoft
Azure cloud services.
Quantum chemical computation, AkzoNobel says, is capable
of simulating chemical reactions at an unprecedented level of
accuracy. Together, it and Microsoft will explore how this can
contribute to more advanced and sustainable products through
collaborative experimentation and development.
" This is a really exciting partnership which has the potential
to be truly ground-breaking, " says Klaas Kruithof, AkzoNobel's
chief technology officer. " We're incredibly proud to partner with
Microsoft and investigate how we can take our digital research
into a new dimension. Innovation demands collaboration and
this is a fantastic way for us to keep pushing boundaries so
we can make a sustainable and long-lasting difference to our
customers and the planet. "
Adds Dr. Matthias Troyer, distinguished scientist in
Microsoft's Azure Quantum program: " The promise of quantum
computing and other Azure services to accelerate solving
chemistry and materials problems - and their associated
workloads - is immense. We're thrilled to partner with
AkzoNobel to drive new value and deliver a world-changing
impact. "
Quantum chemistry overcome many practical boundaries
associated with traditional laboratory methods, such as
availability of raw materials, physical equipment capacity
constraints, toxicity and environmental conditions. So, it could
drastically reduce the time to find substitute ingredients for
making products more sustainable, with new functionalities, or
for replacing scarce raw materials.
" Combining our track record for pioneering product
development with Microsoft's cloud and quantum computing
expertise represents another huge step forward in the
digitization of our research, " explains Pim Koeckhoven,
technology director in research and development at AkzoNobel.
" Up until now, the quality of traditional computer simulations
hasn't been up to the task. Microsoft's Azure Quantum system
offers incredible opportunities for us to take our research into an
entirely new digital realm and speed up the development of new
novel catalysts and chemical reactions. "
www.akzonobel.com
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Canadian Finishing & Coatings Manufacturing Magazine May/June 2022

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