Fraunhofer Materials

The Fraunhofer Group MATERIALS integrates the expertise of 16 Fraunhofer Institutes working in the field of materials science.

Fraunhofer materials research covers the entire value chain, from new material development and improvement of existing materials through manufacturing technology on a quasi-industrial scale, to the characterization of properties and assessment of service behavior. The same research scope applies to the components made from these materials and the way they function in systems. In all these fields, experimental studies in laboratories and technical institutes are supplemented by equally important numerical simulation and modelling techniques – across all scales, from individual molecules up to components and process simulation. As far as materials are concerned, the Fraunhofer MATERIALS group covers the full spectrum of metals, inorganic non-metals, polymers and materials made from renewable resources, as well as semiconductor materials.  

The Group's expertise is concentrated specifically in the fields of energy and environment, mobility, health, machine and plant construction, building construction and living, microsystems technology and safety.  Innovative systems are developed using materials and components customized for specific applications, and based on the assessment of the behavior of a material or component under specific conditions of use. Strategic forecasts promote the development of novel, future-oriented materials and technologies.  

News from our members

 

Pressemitteilung Fraunhofer EMI / 26.6.2025

Cooperation Agreement with the German Navy

The German Navy and the Fraunhofer EMI have signed a cooperation agreement. The aim of the partnership is to foster close scientific and technical exchange and, if applicable, to initiate joint research and development activities.

 

Press release Fraunhofer IAP / 25.6.2025

Electroactive polymers for heating and cooling

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP are developing electrocaloric materials and processing them into functional components.

 

Fraunhofer ICT / 24.6.2025

Renewable energy stored in a large-scale battery is introduced into the power grid on demand

Europe's largest vanadium redox flow battery – located at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology - has achieved an important research milestone.

 

Fraunhofer IZFP / 4.6.2025

Aluminum Production — Ultrasound Reliably Detects Inclusions

Unlike existing methods of analysis, the ultrasound-based AloX measuring system from the Fraunhofer Institute for Nondestructive Testing IZFP can detect existing inclusions not only reliably but also quickly and at low cost.

 

Fraunhofer IIS / 4.6.2025

Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize 2025

Faunhofer IIS in Erlangen has now developed JPEG XS, a state-of-the-art and forward-looking image compression format that transfers high-quality images with minimal latency, low resource use and almost lossless image quality. For this innovative project, the researchers were presented with the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for 2025 at the Fraunhofer annual assembly.

 

Pressemitteilung Fraunhofer IKTS / 27.5.2025

First SOEC Pilot Production Plant

thyssenkrupp nucera and Fraunhofer IKTS open First SOEC Pilot Production Plant for Stacks for the Production of Green Hydrogen.

 

Fraunhofer IMWS / 20.5.2025

Hot-spot avoidance

The use of photovoltaic modules in urban areas often results in partial shading, which leads to considerable energy losses and a higher thermal load over the course of the module's service life. In the "SegmentPV" project, Fraunhofer Center for Silicon Photovoltaics CSP and AESOLAR are developing a segmented and patented photovoltaic module that specifically addresses the challenges of partial shading and thus promises greater energy yield and reliability.

Contact

Peter Gumbsch

Contact Press / Media

Prof. Dr. Peter Gumbsch

Chairman of the Group

Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM
Wöhlerstraße 11
79108 Freiburg

Bernd  Mayer

Contact Press / Media

Prof. Dr. Bernd Mayer

Deputy Chairman of the Group

Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM
Wiener Straße 12
28359 Bremen

Ursula  Eul

Contact Press / Media

Dr. phil. nat Ursula Eul

Head of central office

Fraunhofer Group for Materials and Components - MATERIALS
Bartningstraße 47
64289 Darmstadt

Phone +49 6151 705-262

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