The main focus of this Future Field is the development of interactive and intelligent functional materials, foils and surfaces as well as material-integrated (micro)systems.
Current topics include adaptive materials systems, microfluidic actuators, the development of paper-based analytical methods, and surface coatings with antimicrobial activity.
Current and completed research projects are listed on the “Research” page.
Future Field
Biomimetic, Biobased and Bioactive Materials Systems
The research focus of this Future Field is the development of bioinspired, biomimetic, bio-based and bioactive materials systems.
In addition to the transfer of functional principles from living nature to technical systems, this also includes the development of new active hybrids through the integration of synthetic and biological components and the bioactive functionalization of materials and (micro)systems to enable them to interact with proteins, cells and tissues.
Current and completed research projects are listed on the “Research” page.
Future Field
(Micro)Systems for Energy Conversion, Storage and Energy-autonomy
Inspired by models from living nature, new materials and (micro)systems for energy conversion and energy storage are developed and coupled with system functions in this Future Field.
In addition, energy-autonomous embedded (micro)systems that harvest energy directly from their environment are developed.
Current and completed research projects are listed on the “Research” page.
Future Field
New Materials: Societal Challenges
The development of new materials raises societal challenges in the areas of psychology, philosophy, and sustainability.
Sustainability: Development of an interdisciplinary development-accompanying method for sustainability assessment.
Psychology: Analysis of people’s attitudes and behavior in relation to the acceptance of new material systems.
Philosophy: Philosophical-ethical discourse on the interplay between human control and autonomy of systems.
Current and completed research projects are listed on the “Research” page.