Finding a needle in a haystack: Discovery of Ti2InB2 for synthesizing layered TiB
(PHYSorg.com Chemistry)

Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) have used boron as the X element in a family of materials called MAX phases, for which only carbon and nitrogen could previously be used. A clever search strategy allowed them to avoid resorting to trial and error to design this novel material, from which layered TiB can be obtained for applications in Li- or Na-ion batteries.