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
Revolutionary ultra-fast insights
UA Ruhr appointment of Xijie Wang
Faster than lightning: Prof. Dr. Xijie Wang is researching at the University Alliance Ruhr how extremely rapid changes in materials can be made visible. Using the method of 'Mega-Electron-Volt Ultrafast Electron Diffraction', the renowned scientist wants to establish this innovative technique at the universities in the Ruhr region. He conducts research at the Research Center Chemical Sciences and Sustainability... read more
Guidance on the development of new materials
Electrolyzers for the energy transition
By 2030, the German government wants to produce up to 50 percent of Germany's hydrogen requirements in the country. To achieve this, an electrolysis capacity of one million kilowatt hours and the scaling up of high-tech devices from ideal laboratory conditions to real industrial scales are required. For the first time, researchers from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Ruhr University Bochum, the Center... read more
Understanding defect networks in metals
ERC Grant
Markus Stricker is using simulations to study how dislocations impact the properties of metals. His ERC-funded project, "DISCO-DATA: Hard work, plastic flow: a data-centric approach to dislocation-based plasticity", has received 1.5 million euros and will run for five years starting in September 2024.... 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: