Aeramine Unveils Ultra‑Pure Copper Breakthrough at MT29 Boston
Aeramine, a UK advanced-technology startup, produces ultra-high-purity copper through sophisticated vacuum refinement, and captivated the MT29 Magnet Technology Conference in Boston with its breakthrough. The six‑day international gathering, held from 1 to 6 July 2025, united around 1,000 specialists in magnet research, development, construction, testing and operation, while MIT and the Plasma Fusion Lab provided an inspiring backdrop.
“We were well received, and with the US tariffs for copper potentially rising to 50 %, we are exploring the possibility of establishing facilities to refine copper in the US,” said co‑founder and managing director Alex Lapis, emphasising the material’s unique qualities. The company has already secured £700,000 in pre-seed funding from angel investors and now prepares for its next round to accelerate scale-up and international expansion.
Aeramine’s ultra‑high purity copper, defined by exceptionally low oxygen and impurity levels, delivers outstanding electrical conductivity. Although non‑magnetic, it stabilises superconducting magnets, dissipates heat efficiently and enables powerful magnetic fields in resistive magnets, making it indispensable across advanced magnet technology.
Supported by a £1 million Innovate UK project, the team has transformed waste copper into high-purity copper powder through innovative refining, atomization, and additive manufacturing, laying the groundwork for sustainable, locally based supply chains for critical high-purity metals. “Our manufacturing approach minimises environmental impact, improves material efficiency and offers cost‑effective ultra‑high‑purity solutions for electronics, aerospace and automotive,” Lapis added. Operating from the Oxford-Cambridge super-technology corridor, Aeramine benefits from a government initiative that stimulates growth, attracts investment, and fosters collaboration across the ARC Universities cluster.
Copper remains central to magnet technology because it can carry large currents despite its non-magnetic nature. In superconducting magnets, it acts as a stabiliser; in resistive magnets, copper windings generate the magnetic field; and specialist processes utilise copper even in permanent-magnet manufacture. Peer‑reviewed papers from MT29 will appear in a special edition of IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, underscoring the event’s significance to the global magnet community and the continuing advancement of cryogenics and related enabling technologies.
