Materials Sciences (Materials and Technology)

 

In the foreground, a section of the extensive area of a landfill site with rust-red mud, in the background a much smaller aluminium plant. The plant and landfill are located on a gulf, which can be seen in the upper half of the picture. Green meadows can be seen on the right.

An economical process with green hydrogen can be used to extract CO2-free iron from the red mud generated in aluminium production more

Research highlights 2023

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2023 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 12 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

Artificial intelligence designs advanced materials

A new machine learning model enhances predictive accuracy in corrosion-resistant alloy design more

Seeing light elements in a grain boundary

A further step in unravelling materials’ properties down to the atomic scale more

Solid-state batteries could offer many advantages in the future, including for the use in electrically powered cars.

Understanding how short-circuits occur in solid-state batteries could extend their lifespan
  more

More power from waste heat

An addition of titanium makes a thermoelectric material more efficient more

Green steel produced with ammonia

Ammonia synthesized in sun-rich countries could facilitate sustainable iron- and steelmaking more

Artificial intelligence for materials design

Max Planck scientists explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence in materials science and publish their review more

Towards defect engineering: identifying universal structures on the atomic scale

Researchers of the Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung publish their latest findings more

Creating 3D objects with sound

Scientists assemble matter in 3D using sound waves for 3D printing more

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In the foreground, a section of the extensive area of a landfill site with rust-red mud, in the background a much smaller aluminium plant. The plant and landfill are located on a gulf, which can be seen in the upper half of the picture. Green meadows can be seen on the right.

An economical process with green hydrogen can be used to extract CO2-free iron from the red mud generated in aluminium production more

Solid-state batteries could offer many advantages in the future, including for the use in electrically powered cars.

Understanding how short-circuits occur in solid-state batteries could extend their lifespan
  more

More power from waste heat

An addition of titanium makes a thermoelectric material more efficient more

Green steel produced with ammonia

Ammonia synthesized in sun-rich countries could facilitate sustainable iron- and steelmaking more

Creating 3D objects with sound

Scientists assemble matter in 3D using sound waves for 3D printing more

Lean steel - strong and safe

A novel microstructure design strategy enables lean medium-manganese steels with optimized strength and ductility more

Iron for energy storage

In the futuere the metal could store energy from renewable sources, for example for transportation more

Black and white image showing a bundle of collagen fibres running horizontally. The very small deposits of nanoparticles can be seen on the collagen fibres.

Incorporating various minerals in collagen puts these composite materials under stress and makes them particularly hard and strong more

Tongue-in-cheek award with cult status for cinema air study

The 2021 Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the University of Mainz more

Electrons in the fast lane

Microscopic structures could further improve perovskite solar cells more

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Research highlights 2023

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2023 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 12 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

Scientific highlights 2020

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2020 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 13 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

“The metal industry is about to undergo one of the greatest upheavals in history”

Dierk Raabe, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research in Düsseldorf, explains the opportunities that industrial companies already have today to achieve the goal of a sustainable metal industry. more

Drops in motion

When liquids are moved on a surface, similar frictional forces arise as those acting on solid bodies more

Stiff fibres spun from slime

Under the influence of shear forces, nanoparticles from the secretion of velvet worms form polymer fibres that can be recycled in water more

Algae with light switch

The adhesion of Chlamydomonas, a unicellular alga, to surfaces is light-dependent more

Deceptive teeth

Although the dentition of the wedgefish appear designed to crush shellfish, it also eats stingrays more

Shining a spotlight on the machinery of life

Using a plasmonic nanosensor, it is possible to observe enzymes and how they move without a marker more

Pompeii through the ages

Scientists from Fraunhofer and Max Planck institutes are studying the history of the restoration of Pompeii, which has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1997, and are developing innovative materials and processes for conserving the city’s ancient sites. more

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