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

 

Fraunhofer IFAM / 6.2.2025

sodium-ion technology

The project "Sodium-Ion-Battery Deutschland-Forschung - SIB:DE FORSCHUNG", funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), aims to evaluate the suitability of sodium-ion battery technology (SIB) for the European energy and mobility transition to speed up industrial implementation.

 

Fraunhofer IFAM / 30.1.2025

Quantum technology and AI

To promote the sustainability of electromobility and enhance resource efficiency, upcycling of lithium-ion batteries is gaining increasing importance. Efforts are focused on slowing down material cycles by repurposing used batteries from electric vehicles for new applications instead of transferring them directly to recycling processes.

 

Fraunhofer EMI / 16.1.2025

Small satellites: Powerful data management in orbit

Earth observation satellites collect large amounts of data, while transmission capacities to earth are limited. Special computers, known as Data Processing Units (DPUs), store, analyze and compress this data directly on board of the satellite - efficiently and reliably.

 

Fraunhofer IFAM / 15.1.2025

JEC Composites Innovation Award 2025 for the Multi Functional Fuselage Demonstrator – MFFD

Demonstration of an automation-compatible thermoplastic construction method for aircraft fuselages receives award in Paris

 

Fraunhofer WKI / 17.12.2024

Waste wood recycling

Thanks to a new analysis method, waste wood from construction and demolition work could be reused for load-bearing timber-construction elements in the future.  

 

Fraunhofer IAP / 10.12.2024

Gluing with starch: bio-based adhesives for industrial applications

Researchers at Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP are developing and testing bio-based adhesives for the industrial production of folding boxes in the project Sustainable Gluing With Renewable Adhesives (SUGRA).

 

Fraunhofer WKI / 5.11.2024

Effectiveness of air purifiers

The corona pandemic has shown just how important it is to protect people in indoor areas against infection through airborne pathogens. Mobile air purifiers can, in principle, contribute to this. Until now, there has been no uniform method for testing their effectiveness. Researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI have therefore developed a standardised testing method.

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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