Carbon-Neutral Circles

New technologies are key to making the energy transition work: To store and transport regeneratively generated energy in large quantities and over longer periods of time, chemical energy carriers are needed that can be integrated into a carbon-neutral circular energy economy. In addition to hydrogen and e-fuels, metals are particularly suited for this task.

Within this high-profile research topic, these innovative storage materials and their use are explored. The research behind it covers a large area ranging from fundamental chemical reactions and the development of processes through to pilot facilities. Thus, the research topic will result in important contributions covering future demand for renewable energy in all areas of application, i.e., in buildings, mobility and industry.

more information

Materials Design for Circularity

A sustainable development of technology involves research into innovative and customised materials and material systems. Avoiding critical raw materials and establishing a sustainable process chain from the material through to resource-efficient and reusable components pose a major challenge. This interdisciplinary problem requires input from fundamental sciences and engineering. We focus on inorganic materials with multifunctional properties as a basis for energy-efficient and resource-efficient components and technologies used in energy conversion, microelectronics and sensors.

more information

The new Max Planck Research Group “De Magnete – Designing Magnetism on the Atomic Scale” results from a collaboration of Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung (MPIE) and TU Darmstadt. The group is headed by Prof. Oliver Gutfleisch, Professor of Functional Materials at the TU Darmstadt and scientific director at the Fraunhofer IWKS Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies.

The group analyses the critical magnetization reversal processes on the atomic scale using advanced experimental and simulation methods. The aim is to capture, reproduce and predict transitional and dynamic processes that are relevant for nucleation and propagation during all critical magnetization reversal processes on all length scales. Magnets are used in many fields of daily life and industry like in energy conversion, electromobility, data storage and robotics. Their enhancement is key to a carbon neutral economy.

more information