Materials Chain
Materials Chain is the first and largest competence field of the University Alliance Ruhr. It offers a platform for interdisciplinary networking that brings together researchers from fundamental natural sciences to applied materials science and production technology. More than 200 scientists from more than 150 chairs and research groups from Ruhr-Universität Bochum, TU Dortmund University, and the University of Duisburg-Essen research and teach under the umbrella of the competence field. The profile is complemented by cooperations with 11 regional partner institutions.
Building on the proven strengths at the respective university locations, Materials Chain initiates new research projects and associations to strengthen the role of the Ruhr Area as an internationally leading research region for modern materials and their production. The most prominent example that emerged from the program is the UA Ruhr Research Center Future Energy Materials and Systems (FEMS).
Latest News
Creating new tool geometries using lasers and robots
New Research Group
A new research group, led by Prof. Dr. Andreas Ostendorf from the Chair of Laser Application Technology at Ruhr University Bochum, will focus on optimizing laser cladding through robotics and computer simulations. The goal is to develop innovative tool geometries tailored to specific applications. Funded by €3.85 million from the DFG, the project will start in early 2025.... read more
Electrode potential transforms surfaces
Oxygen and chlorine evolution without noble metals
They are highly selective and can be easily separated from the reaction mixture: single-atom catalysts combine the advantages of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Until now, their production has generally been associated with precious metals that are anchored to a solid substrate. Researchers led by the University of Duisburg-Essen have now shown that such structures can also be formed electrochemically... read more
Humboldt Fellow Dr. Kuhan Chandru
The building blocks of life
How exactly did life on Earth begin? Some aspects of this puzzle are still unresolved. Dr. Kuhan Chandru would like to help crack it. The Malaysian expert in prebiotic chemistry is currently a guest in the working group of Materials Chain member Prof. Christian Mayer Physical Chemistry as a Humboldt Foundation research fellow. For his work, Chandru uses, among other things, a special instrument at... read more
Who are we? Why is collaboration important in modern materials science? And what are we working on?
Upcoming Events
6th Materials Chain International Conference, MCIC 2024: Inorganic Functional Materials, September 12th 2024 at Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Seminar Series “Materials and Energy: Challenges and Opportunities”
The Materials Chain Seminar Series “Materials and Energy: Challenges and Opportunities” brings together highly visible researchers across the various fields of materials science who investigate the intricate relationship between energy and materials. “Energy” and “Materials” have an overarching importance for the future development of our society. They are coupled in multiple ways ranging from fundamental science to real-world applications. Analyzing their intricate relationship as energy-materials nexus, however, is a new approach. Because solutions are urgently needed, this field requires intense interaction and collaboration across scientific disciplines and along the entire chain from fundamental science to industrial application.
The seminar series takes place during winter term on Thursdays and/or Fridays, typically from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The lectures are held in different ZOOM rooms, which will be proclaimed here as well as in the invitations sent to all members of the Materials Chain, who have been signed up for the Newsletter.
Everybody is welcome. Registration is not required. If you receive an invitation as Materials Chain member, please feel free to forward it to other interested researchers at your institution and beyond. Early career researchers, like PhD students, are welcome as well!
Lectures for the upcoming winter term will be annouced in due time.
Video
Take a look behind the laboratory doors of some of the natural scientists and engineers working within the Materials Chain network: