Materials Chain
Materials Chain is the first and largest flagship program 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 flagship program. 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
New Magnets for Sustainable Energy Technologies
Transregio goes into second Funding Period
Super-strong permanent magnets for wind turbines or materials for magnetic cooling - both are crucial for a successful energy transition: New, optimized functional materials are the cornerstones of a low-emission future. The collaborative research center "HoMMage*" has already been located at TU Darmstadt and the University of Duisburg-Essen for four years. From January 2024, it will be funded by the... read more
9 Million euros for materials research at the RUB
A new research consortium aims to understand and design surfaces of complex metallic solid solutions with atomic precision
A new Special Research Area at RUB, led by Professor Alfred Ludwig, focuses on understanding and designing surfaces of complex metallic solid solutions. With a four-year 9 million euros grant from the German Research Foundation, this initiative is set to advance material research for applications significant to the energy transition.... read more
ERC Grant
Two million euros for investigating the processes in batteries
Improving safety and durability of batteries requires a better understanding of processes that take place inside them at the atomic level. Tong Li intends to lay the foundations for this as part of a Consolidator Grant Accounts of exploding cell phone batteries and electric cars on fire are a constant reminder of the dangers of batteries with high energy densities. However, when it comes to developing... read more
Who are we? Why is collaboration important in modern materials science? And what are we working on?
Upcoming Events
- no events
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: