Sustainable Materials and Processes

High-tech materials make car bodies lighter, solar modules more efficient and wind turbines more robust. They are indispensable for the energy transition - as well as for the competitiveness of Germany as an industrial location. Clausthal University of Technology is one of the leading universities in Germany when it comes to materials science research and its implementation in production processes. This expertise is reflected in the research field “Sustainable materials and processes“.

The scientists involved are focusing primarily on four points: 

• They seek to improve our understanding of material properties and phenomena.
• This understanding is a prerequisite for the targeted optimization of materials with regard to certain characteristics or even the development of completely new materials.
• New materials place new demands on product design: for example, a tailgate made of special steel or aluminum should not only be lightweight, but also as durable as possible and easy and cost-effective to recycle.
• In addition, the manufacturing processes must also be optimized so that materials and products can be produced economically and in large quantities. A major concern of the researchers is the implementation of the results in industrial practice. To this end, many projects are carried out hand in hand with industrial partners.

The guiding theme is therefore “from the basics to application“.