Project examples of the Fraunhofer Nanotechnology Network

The potential of nanotechnology for a sustainable and efficient energy future
 

Nanotechnology will fundamentally change the energy sector. By manipulating matter on the nanoscale, we will develop innovative materials and devices that enable more efficient energy storage, conversion, and use. Nanotechnology will be used in the solar industry to develop more efficient solar cells, and in battery technology to produce more powerful and longer-lasting batteries. In addition, nanotechnology will enable the development of energy-efficient building materials and improved energy transmission technologies. Integrating nanotechnology into the energy sector will create a more sustainable and cleaner energy future.
 

In times of global efforts to reduce climate-damaging CO₂ emissions, the issue of friction often plays an underestimated role. After all, up to 20 percent of the primary energy used in a wide variety of vehicles, machines and systems is unnecessarily lost due to friction. In addition, there is the problem of tribological wear of tools and components, which limits the service life of systems in many applications or causes downtimes and maintenance times and results in high resource consumption.
 

Tribology Innovation Center Dresden

Technology Tribology

The smart shading solutions developed by the Fraunhofer R&D Center for Electromobility Bavaria (FZEB) as part of the Fraunhofer ISC can be applied in particular in the aircraft, automotive and architectural sectors and offer many advantages such as glare protection, control of lighting conditions and interior temperature, as well as energy savings for air conditioning.

Electrochromic Systems

High-performance lithium-ion batteries are increasingly used in everything from computers, cell phones, multimedia devices, small electrical appliances, small tools, bicycles and electric vehicles to battery storage power plants. With our know-how and our material and process development we support, e.g. automotive suppliers, battery or cell manufacturers and material developers.

Battery Materials

Germany has rediscovered the battery as a key technology – especially since realizing that many major German automotive manufacturers will take phase out internal combustion engines and focus to a large extent on battery-electric powered concepts. A race to catch up has been underway ever since in order to make up for the recently obvious capacity and technology lead of Asian and U.S. corporations.

Storage energy transition

In addition to the development of novel battery technologies, the continuous reduction of manufacturing costs is a necessary prerequisite for the future dissemination of lithium-ion batteries for mobile or stationary energy storage. Technology development and upscaling represent a crucial link between basic research and concept development in the laboratory and industrial process development in serial production.

Battery technology

Key enabling technologies such as nanotechnology, advanced materials, nano- and microelectronics, photonics or advanced manufacturing are considered to have strong impact on the current and future competitiveness of important industrial sectors. The Business Unit Industrial Technologies analyzes the emergence and development of these technologies, related process issues, market entry and market diffusion in different application areas. The range of service includes analyses of technological potentials, economic analyses and the investigation of societal and political framework conditions.

Today electronic applications have become ubiquitous and can be found in all areas of our daily life. This requires matching energy sources with high flexibility in regard to thickness, geometrical shape, voltage, capacity and weight. Applying the appropriate functional materials to flexible substrates using mass printing technologies will open new opportunities to integrate batteries into ductile products.

Printed thin film battery

With the new project "RoSiLIB", the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM in Dresden is making a decisive contribution towards a CO₂-neutral energy supply in mobility. To this end, new high-energy anodes for lithium-ion batteries are being developed together with partners from the Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf e. V., E-Lyte Innovations GmbH, NANOVAL GmbH & Co. KG, VON ARDENNE GmbH and Custom Cells Itzehoe GmbH.

Project RoSiLIB

Surfaces are getting smarter. They gain new properties by integrating functional materials into their coating. They change according to our needs and desires, guide us, protect us and trigger actions. The spectrum ranges from electrically conductive coatings, electrical resistance heaters, and printed large-area sensors to technologies for true human-machine interaction using printed actuators.

Functional Materials

Lightweight structures, consisting of fiber composite materials and tailor-designed part geometries can excellently meet the demanding requirements to cost and energy-saving products. To reduce the costs for these structures, the scientists of the Fraunhofer IWS Dresden focus their work to optimize this manufacturing process chain.

Modern lighweight construction

The building materials industry is the world's biggest CO₂ emitter. It is therefore clear that material and process innovations in construction are an important lever for achieving climate targets. The Fraunhofer ISC is working with European research institutions and industrial companies on a technological revolution for lightweight concrete construction through the use of nanomaterials.

Saving concrete

Once cured, the nanocomposites for stone coating are a predominantly silicate material that provides excellent adhesion to the cast stone and is highly resistant to acids.

Coatings artificial/natural stones