Professorship of Processing of Complex Structured Materials for Demanding Environments
Resource efficient development of complex structured materials
The Professorship "Complex Structured Materials" is dedicated to the development of advanced materials solutions via colloidal processing routes with a focus on additive manufacturing. The research addresses the challenges of integrating structural and functional properties in components to develop efficient systems in energy, aerospace, and environmental applications. In line with the holistic research approach of the Institute of Materials Resource Management, recyclability, re-use of materials, and data management for digitalization, are considered throughout the materials and process development chain. The Professorship forms a research cluster with the Chair of Materials Engineering and the junior Professorship Data-driven Product Engineering and Design.
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As part of the CIMTEC conference in Montecatini Terme in Italy, Prof Barg was invited to give a lecture titled ‘3D Printed Functional MXene based Ceramics’. In the session ‘0D, 1D and 2D nanomaterials and nanostructures and soft-condensed matter’, which was part of the track 'Computational Tools in Materials Synthesis and Processing Science', she reported on current reserach of the group Complex Structured Materials within the KI-Produktionsnetzwerk.
In addition to many interesting discussions, the conference also provided a good opportunity to get to know other researchers in the field of 2D materials, additive manufacturing and data-driven optimization. These included one of the scientists to first discover the MXenes, which the group is currently researching.
At this year's Lange Nacht der Wissenschaft in Augsburg, a science slam was once again the prelude to a colourful programme of talks and information stands. With her slam ‘MXimal Funktional - Herrscher über das Dimensionale Chaos’, Michéle Scholl not only made the audience laugh, but also explained how MXenes are produced and why their properties are so interesting.
As is usual with science slams, the best slam was determined by the volume of the audience. The MXene slam won over the audience across the board and earned Michéle Scholl first place!
As in the previous year, we once again welcomed many schoolgirls in 2024 for the Girls'Day at MRM and also in our group. We prepared some experiments to give the girls an insight into the world of materials science and to get them interested in our research.
The girls were guided through our institute in small groups and were able to carry out interactive experiments at various stations. At our station, the girls were able to dip a flower in liquid nitrogen and then smash it on a table. The girls were enthusiastic about this experiment and were amazed at the fragile structure of the frozen flower.
We also showed the girls an experiment with a water-starch solution in which we explained the material behaviour of non-Newtonian liquids. The unexpected behaviour of this mixture is perfect for a small experiment that can even be replicated at home.
To make the day even more exciting, we organised a flying competition with 3D-printed soap bubble planes. The girls loved the idea and had a lot of fun testing their own aeroplanes. The group winner received another 3D-printed aeroplane, which also worked without soap bubbles, and the overall winner of the day received a printed trophy, which was awarded at the joint lunch.
All in all, Girls' Day was a complete success. We had many interested and enthusiastic girls at our institute and were pleased to give them an insight into materials science. We hope that we can contribute to this by organising events like this, to get more girls interested in the natural sciences and encourage them to study or work in this field.
As part of a research fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Dr Alexander Khort is currently visiting the University's Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology for two years. There, the chemical engineer is conducting research at the Professorship of Complex Structured Materials at the Institute of Materials Resource Management (MRM) headed by Prof Dr.-Ing. Suelen Barg.
Dr Alexander Khort comes from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm. His research focuses on developing new methods for producing smart nanomaterials, investigating their properties, and possible applications, and studying degradation behaviour. At KTH, the post-doc is a long-standing member of a team working on surface and corrosion science. He has already contributed to numerous publications.
"We hope that the collaboration with Professor Barg will provide us with expert input for our work with MXenes," says Alexander Khort. MXenes are a new type of functional 2D materials. The aim of the experiments in Augsburg is to modify and combine the two-dimensional MXenes into more complex structures. “We then aim to study functional properties of these composites and also find out how they interact with the environment," the materials researcher continues. Among other things, the expected results could provide information on the assembly and functionality of MXene-based composites for potential applications in such areas as catalysis, semiconductor sensors, and additive manufacturing. Furthermore, the researchers aim to investigate the effects that such complex nanostructures have on the environment. This could be important for the design of future EU directives on the handling of nanomaterials.
Dr Khort's research stay at the University of Augsburg is funded by the Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Researchers.
At the conference of all materials science and materials engineering student councils (KaWuM), various student councils with a background in materials science or materials engineering from all over Germany gather each semester to discuss technical and university policy issues. In addition to excursions and technical lectures, a MatWerk Slam is also part of the program of the federal student council meeting.
With more than 150 spectators, this Slam was the largest one in KaWuM's history. Five slammers had the opportunity to present their research in an entertaining and creative way. The different topics ranged from microstructure analysis, to nanomaterials, to the zero-point entropy of glasses. It was a great opportunity to experience the research up close and listen to the slammers as they conveyed complex topics in a simple and engaging manner.
The science slam by Michéle Scholl titled "MXimal funktional - Herrscher über das dimensionale Chaos" was about the synthesis of MXenes and their use in three-dimensional structures. With her lecture, she reached the third place and was awarded a small 3D-printed trophy that represents the KaWuM mascot.
Further information about KaWuM can be found at www.kawum-matwerk.de.
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On April 27th, we held the Girls' Day at our institute, which was attended by a total of 20 girls. We had prepared to give the girls an insight into the world of materials science and to inspire them with our research.
The girls were led through our institute in small groups and could perform interactive experiments at different stations. At our station, the girls could dip a flower into liquid nitrogen and then smash it on a table. The girls were thrilled with this experiment and were amazed by the fragile structure of the frozen flower.
In addition, we showed the girls an experiment with a water-starch solution in which we explained the material behavior of non-Newtonian fluids. The unexpected behavior of this mixture is perfect for a small toy that the girls could take home with them, bottled in a balloon.
To make the day even more exciting, we held a flying competition with 3D-printed soap bubble gliders. The girls were thrilled with this idea and had a lot of fun testing their own planes. The group winner received another 3D-printed plane that worked without soap bubbles, and the overall winner of the day received a printed trophy that was awarded during the shared lunch.
Overall, the Girls' Day was a complete success. We had many interested and enthusiastic girls at our institute and were pleased to give them an insight into materials science. We hope that through such events, we can help inspire more girls to become interested in the natural sciences and encourage them to study or work in this field.
On April 21st, we had a successful Open House Day at our institute! We had the opportunity to showcase our research and show visitors what we do in our lab.
In the morning, the new professors presented their research topics in a symposium. In the afternoon, however, the focus was on the labs and demonstrations. At specific times, we started with a brief presentation on our research topics and results. We explained to the visitors which materials we investigate and how we carry out our experiments. The visitors were very interested and asked many questions.
Next, we conducted a demonstration of Freeze Casting, a process for producing porous materials. We showed visitors how to pour a suspension into a mold and freeze it using liquid nitrogen to create a porous material with a specific structure. The visitors were impressed by this process and asked questions about it. We also displayed some examples of our research results.
As an additional highlight, we also prepared small gifts for the visitors that we made with our 3D printer. The visitors could enjoy bookmarks with the MRM logo, which they could take home as a souvenir of the Open House Day.
Overall, the Open House Day was a great success. We had many visitors and were delighted by the great interest in our research. We hope to have the opportunity in the future to showcase our research and inspire people to get excited about materials science.
We had a fantastic afternoon for children during the Easter holidays! Five children between the ages of 6 and 12 had the opportunity to conduct small experiments in our laboratory and have a lot of fun for an afternoon.
We started the afternoon with a demonstration of the use of liquid nitrogen. The children were thrilled to see how the nitrogen cooled the air around it and created fog. We explained to them how to work with liquid nitrogen and what precautions to take.
Afterwards, we together created a chemical garden that amazed the children. We explained to the children the chemical reactions that occur during this experiment and the materials needed.
Next, we showed the children how to perform flame coloring. The children were fascinated as we held different salts in the flame and it lit up in different colors. We explained to the children how the colors come about and which salts can be used.
As a grand finale of the afternoon, we had a special highlight: nitrogen ice cream! The children were amazed as we prepared the ice cream together. But not only was the ice cream visually stunning, the taste also delighted all participants.
Overall, the children's afternoon was a great success. The children had a lot of fun experimenting and learning. We hope that in the future we can organize more such events to inspire young people for science and research.
We had the pleasure of welcoming a ninth-grade student to our institute for an internship. She visited our laboratory and supported us with various experiments for one week.
During her internship, she had the unique opportunity to see how a laboratory operates and what materials scientists do in their daily work. She not only acquired theoretical knowledge but also gained practical experience that can be of great value to her in her academic and career path.
We were impressed by her commitment and motivation. The student showed great interest in materials science and repeatedly asked us for details about the experiments and materials used. We were impressed by her thirst for knowledge and ambition.
The student was a great help to us in our experiments. We greatly appreciated her contribution and hope that she can use her experience with us as inspiration for her future career.
Overall, the internship was a positive experience for everyone involved. We are happy to be able to inspire young people to pursue materials science and hope to welcome more students to our institute in the future.
Do you know any students who would like to get a taste of laboratory life? Please feel free to email us!
The German Society for Materials Science (DGM e.V.) represents the interests of its members in the field of materials science and materials engineering. Networking is at the heart of this. To this end, the DGM organizes a wide range of technical committee and working group meetings, events such as conferences, exhibitions, training courses and events for young scientists.
Especially with regard to the promotion of young scientists, a significant event took place at our institute on January 30, 2023: the founding of the new local group Young-DGM Augsburg.
The event started with a laboratory tour at the MRM, where the participants could learn about the latest developments and research results in materials science. This was followed by a dinner where about 10 students and PhD students came together to promote the foundation of the local group.
The Young DGM Augsburg is a valuable support for the next generation in materials scientists and offers the members the opportunity to build and strengthen professional networks. The first cross-regional networking is already planned for April at the Young Scientists Forum.
We are happy to have been a part of this important event and want to consolidate the cooperation with the Young-DGM Augsburg in the future. The formation of the local group supports the MRM's goal of promoting materials science and facilitating the exchange of research results and ideas.
Congratulations to the founders of the Young-DGM Augsburg and thank you for the successful cooperation with the MRM!
In 2022, Professor Suelen Barg participated as an invited speaker in the 2022 MRS Fall Meeting and Exhibit, held virtually on December 6, and in the 10th International Workshop on Interfaces - Design for Performance, held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, on September 6.
The MRS Fall Meeting and Exhibit is a premier event for materials research and technology, bringing together scientists and engineers from around the world to share their insights and research findings. Professor Barg's presentation was part of the NM04.12 symposium, which focused on the latest developments in MXenes.
The 10th International Workshop on Interfaces - Design for Performance was also a high-profile event, attracting leading researchers from around the world.
Professor Barg's talks provided a unique perspective on the potential applications of 2D materials for the fabrication of functional 3D devices with tuned internal microstructures for applications such as energy storage and electrothermal heating.
As a group, we are eagerly anticipating the upcoming conferences this year. These events provide a valuable opportunity to learn about the latest advancements in our respective fields, to connect with colleagues from around the world, and to share our own research and findings. We are especially excited to attend conferences that have a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, as we believe that this is key to driving innovation and making meaningful progress towards solving some of the world's most pressing challenges. We look forward to engaging in stimulating discussions and exchanging ideas with fellow researchers and practitioners.
On Wednesday, October 12, Prof. Volker Presser from University of Saarland paid a visit to the MRM. In addition to a guided tour of the institute and extensive discussions, this included a lecture that was open to all interested parties as part of the MRM Colloquium.
In his lecture, Prof. Presser reported on the results of his research group in the field of 2D materials for applications in energy technology and water treatment.
We thank Mr. Presser for the interesting lecture and the stimulating discussions!
Every semester, various student councils with a materials science and engneering background from all over Germany, meet to discuss technical and university policy issues. In addition to excursions and scientific talks, this semester's side program included a MatWerk slam for the first time.
For this occasion a materials science topic should be presented as a science slam. The goal of this format is to explain complex topics in an easily understandable way and sometimes with a bit of humor. The MRM participated with a presentation on fiber ceramics for high temperature applications.
The two MRM presenters, Michéle Scholl and Kevin Postler, took the first place with their slam and thus won the colorful KeLcH (KaWuM's own alloy of chaotic origin).
More info about the KaWuM and the MatWerk Slam can be found at www.kawum-matwerk.de in the "News" tab.
