Achieving Robust Extrapolation in Materials Property Prediction via Decoupled Transfer Learning

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Hauptverfasser: Sugiura, Tasuku, Mizoguchi, Teruyasu
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2026
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author Sugiura, Tasuku
Mizoguchi, Teruyasu
author_facet Sugiura, Tasuku
Mizoguchi, Teruyasu
contents Machine learning has revolutionized materials property prediction, yet fails catastrophically when extrapolating beyond training distributions-precisely the capability required for discovering unprecedented materials. Graph neural networks (GNNs) exhibit this collapse because end-to-end training fundamentally couples learned representations to target property distributions, preventing genuine extrapolation. We demonstrate that decoupled transfer learning-separating pretrained GNN feature extractors from simple regressors-overcomes this barrier. Pretrained features provide transferable structural knowledge, while simple regressors enable smooth extrapolation by maintaining learned trends beyond training boundaries. Benchmarked on layered intercalation compounds through four rigorous extrapolation scenarios and a temporal Materials Project split, our framework achieves 68% error reduction (RMSE: 0.881 vs. 2.778 eV/atom) versus end-to-end GNNs for extrapolation. Failure analysis reveals extrapolation succeeds for continuous chemical space but fails for discontinuous space, establishing clear design principles. Validated on Fermi energy prediction, this framework is immediately deployable using existing pretrained models, requiring no architectural innovations-transforming ML-driven materials discovery.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_18054
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Achieving Robust Extrapolation in Materials Property Prediction via Decoupled Transfer Learning
Sugiura, Tasuku
Mizoguchi, Teruyasu
Materials Science
Machine learning has revolutionized materials property prediction, yet fails catastrophically when extrapolating beyond training distributions-precisely the capability required for discovering unprecedented materials. Graph neural networks (GNNs) exhibit this collapse because end-to-end training fundamentally couples learned representations to target property distributions, preventing genuine extrapolation. We demonstrate that decoupled transfer learning-separating pretrained GNN feature extractors from simple regressors-overcomes this barrier. Pretrained features provide transferable structural knowledge, while simple regressors enable smooth extrapolation by maintaining learned trends beyond training boundaries. Benchmarked on layered intercalation compounds through four rigorous extrapolation scenarios and a temporal Materials Project split, our framework achieves 68% error reduction (RMSE: 0.881 vs. 2.778 eV/atom) versus end-to-end GNNs for extrapolation. Failure analysis reveals extrapolation succeeds for continuous chemical space but fails for discontinuous space, establishing clear design principles. Validated on Fermi energy prediction, this framework is immediately deployable using existing pretrained models, requiring no architectural innovations-transforming ML-driven materials discovery.
title Achieving Robust Extrapolation in Materials Property Prediction via Decoupled Transfer Learning
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.18054