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In this interview, Dr. Holger Althues and Dr. Benjamin Schumm discuss key questions about the future of battery development, such as: What challenges is research on new battery technologies currently facing? How does the DRYtraec process contribute to sustainable battery production? Which new materials and technologies are currently being explored at Fraunhofer IWS?

Fraunhofer IWS has been conducting research into innovative solutions for solvent-free, dry electrode production since 2011. The focus topics of this research are sustainable and cost-efficient material and process developments. Especially in regard to the development of next-generation batteries, for example lithium-sulfur and solid-state batteries, the institute belongs now to the world‘s leading research and development (R&D) organizations. Practical innovations geared towards industrial benefits are created using a holistic approach which covers the entire value chain from material development and electrode production through to cell manufacturing.

A consortium comprising Fraunhofer IWS, the TUD Dresden University of Technology, ArianeGroup, and the Warsaw Institute of Aviation has achieved a significant breakthrough in aerospace engineering: the first successful hot gas test of a 3D-printed aerospike engine powered by a combination of sustainable hydrogen peroxide and kerosene propellant. This project was conducted under the ESA-funded ASPIRER initiative. The test results hold the potential to enhance the efficiency of space missions significantly.

Methods such as computer tomography and ultrasound provide a non-destructive view into the interior of a workpiece. However, they provide too little information about the structure and properties of the material. Serial sectioning is a different matter. Although the sample part is gradually removed, the method offers clear advantages over non-destructive methods. Dr. Jörg Bretschneider explains the potential of serial sectioning, including with regard to automation using robots.

Finding solutions to potential resource bottlenecks requires sustainable material design. New material compositions enable more environmentally friendly ship propulsion systems, more economical aircraft engines or even lighter electric vehicles. At Fraunhofer IWS, the Competence Field Materials Characterization and Testing led by Prof. Martina Zimmermann is developing the “recipes“ for tomorrow‘s materials. The unique feature: Here, new alloys can be generated and analyzed directly using additive manufacturing methods. The 3D printers at the institute allow the newly developed recipes to be tested long before they are used in industry.

Powerful mobile fuel cells can help to reduce the environmental impact of heavy duty transportation in Germany and worldwide in the future. 19 Fraunhofer Institutes from nine German states have therefore joined forces to form the development alliance “H2GO – National Fuel Cell Production Action Plan”. They aim to jointly develop industrial technologies to produce fuel cells and efficiently transfer new processes to industry. The focus is on fuel cells for road-based heavy duty vehicles. The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs is funding H2GO with around 80 million euros from the “Future Fund for the Automotive Industry“ until the end of 2025. The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS is also part of this consortium. Dr. Teja Roch oversees the “HP2BPP” sub-project at Fraunhofer IWS, located in Dresden and Dortmund. In this interview, he explains the innovative contributions.

A dark chapter in human history unfolded in Chornobyl on April 26, 1986, when Block 4 of the nuclear power plant exploded, resulting in a meltdown. This tragic incident transformed the immediate surroundings into an uninhabitable landscape and impacted the environment and the health of the population in the long term. Decades later, humanity faces the urgent challenge of dismantling the damaged power plant. Researchers at Fraunhofer IWS in Dresden, who are tackling this complex task, recognize this necessity. Scientists of the Cutting and Joining Technology Field members work on a laser-based, remote-oper-ated dismantling process for contaminated material mixtures. In this interview, Dr. Andreas Wetzig and Dr. Jan Hauptmann provide insights into the background to this ambitious task.

The laser expert Prof. Andrés Lasagni was elected as a new member of the German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech), during the last General Assembly.

Digitalization is changing the job profile of materials testers. One critical criterion is to provide teams with sufficient training on new digital lab books. This shall secure expertise for companies and institutes in the long term. The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden and its partners have gained these and other insights from the now-completed project “DiWan: Digital change in materials testing.” The Dresden institutes incorporate those into their further activities in the digital transformation context of materials science and engineering.

The European Union has set itself the goal of better recording and further reducing methane emissions in the agricultural, waste, and energy sectors. In this context, the Fraunhofer Application Center for Optical Metrology and Surface Technologies AZOM, “Micro-Hybrid Electronic” and “fiberware” launched a research project for waveguide-based trace gas analysis of methane under the coordination of “DBI – Gas- und Umwelttechnik”. The aim is to develop a mobile compact handheld device that can determine methane emissions with a precision not previously possible. The project is being funded over three years as part of the BMBF's “KMU-innovativ: Ressourceneffizienz und Klimaschutz” (SME Innovative: Resource Efficiency and Climate Protection) funding measure (HLSG-CH4 for short).