Metallic Materials
Innovative material development for the energy of the future.
Head of Deparment: Dr. Michael Rieth
Our research and development work is part of large-scale research and makes an important contribution to energy research at national and European level. As a partner in the Helmholtz Association's energy program and a member of the EUROfusion large-scale research project, we are actively shaping the future of nuclear fusion.
Focus
We develop structural and functional materials that can withstand extreme conditions. These include high temperatures and heat fluxes, as well as high-energy neutron radiation in combination with mechanical, chemical, or time-critical loads. The material properties are tailored by us for each specific application case. In this way, we open up new applications and areas of use in the field of energy conversion. Typical examples include components of a fusion power plant, such as plasma-facing components (divertor), heat exchangers (blanket), and neutron multipliers (tritium breeding elements).
Competence
Our research is application-oriented and, above all, takes place under the aspects of large-scale research. Therefore, alongside sustainability and cost-effectiveness, the focus is particularly on the use of industrial production, forming, joining, and manufacturing technologies. Starting from an idea, our materials development encompasses theoretical modelling, thermodynamic and thermo-mechanical simulations, production in the laboratory and on an industrial scale, experimental characterization of all relevant properties, microstructural and chemical analyses, the manufacturing of prototypes (semi-finished products and mockups), as well as component testing under the respective operating conditions. Our goal is to provide novel materials, including the materials technology process parameters and key characteristics required for production and component manufacturing.
Network
Despite our focus on materials for very specific applications, the boundary conditions, requirements, and properties to be considered are very complex and diverse. So not all necessary investigations and experiments can be carried out within our department. Therefore, we collaborate closely with a variety of partners from KIT, industry, and other research institutions both domestically and internationally. In particular, the characterization and testing of prototypes requires access to large-scale facilities, such as test reactors for neutron irradiation: : HFIR, BR2, or experimental setups for the investigation of plasma-material interactions: HELOKA, ASDEX, GLADIS, JUDITH & JULE-PSI.
Automated modeling and validation
Group
Publicationslist
Schreck, S.; Aiello, G.; Meier, A.; Scherer, T. A.; Strauss, D.
2026. 23rd Joint Workshop on Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE) and Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) (2026), Barcelona, Spain, May 18–22, 2026
Meier, A.; Aiello, G.; Schreck, S.; Strauss, D.; Scherer, T. A.
2026, September. 34th Symposium on Fusion Technology (SOFT 2026), Aix-en-Provence, France, September 20–25, 2026
Scherer, T. A.
2026. 20th International Conference on Plasma Surface Engineering (Special PSE 2026), Erfurt, Germany, August 31–September 3, 2026
Scherer, T. A.; Aiello, G.; Mazzocchi, F.; Meier, A.; Strauss, D.; Schreck, S.
2026. MRS Spring Meeting & Exhibit (2026), Honolulu, HI, USA, April 26–May 1, 2026
Scherer, T. A.; Mazzocchi, F.
2026, March 10. DPG Spring Meeting of the Condensed Matter Section (SKM 2026), Dresden, Germany, March 8–13, 2026
Scherer, T. A.; Aiello, G.; Strauss, D.; Meier, A.; Schreck, S.
2026, October 21. RF Heating Technology Workshop (2026), San Diego, CA, USA, October 19–21, 2026
Karipbayev, Z. T.; Tokasheva, M. S.; Bakytkyzy, A.; Zhunusbekov, A. M.; Zhurkin, E. B.; Konuhova, M.; Scherer, T. A.; Bezrukovs, V.; Popov, A. I.
2026. Applied Sciences, 16 (20), 10130. doi:10.3390/app162010130
Mazzocchi, F.; Neidig, M.; Yamada, H.; Kempf, S.; Strauss, D.; Scherer, T.
2025. arxiv. doi:10.48550/arXiv.2512.03780
W7-X Team; Wegner, T.; Krychowiak, M.; Krier, L.
2026. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 68 (10), 105041. doi:10.1088/1361-6587/aeb1eb
Hientzsch, L. E.; Scandone, R.; Wegner, R.
2026. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT). doi:10.5445/IR/1000198484
Beichter, S.; Stein, A.; Dettki, M.; Wiegel, F.; Jumar, R.; Waczowicz, S.; Hiller, M.; Hagenmeyer, V.
2026. 2026 IEEE 14th International Conference on Smart Energy Grid Engineering (SEGE), 128–133, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/SEGE70974.2026.11738950
Reinold, P.; Finkeldei, M.; Horn, R.; Wehinger, G. D.
2026. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). doi:10.5445/IR/1000198481
Kwak, Y.; Würth, R.; Yamachui Sitcheu, A. J.; Hübschmann, D.; Mikut, R.
2026. Proceedings. 36. Workshop Computational Intelligence : Berlin, 19. – 20. November 2026. Ed.: H. Schulte, 283–305, KIT Scientific Publishing
Yenesew, M. A.; Krell-Roesch, J.; Endalamaw, A.; Gedamu, G.; Menber, Y.; Nigatu, D.; Mekonnen, A.; Biyadgie, M.; Enquobahrie, D. A.; Mersha, T. B.; Kahn, J. G.; Eagan, D. E.; Mistry, Y. J.; Teni, M. T.; Woll, A.; Lawson, M.; Brotherhood, E. V.; Tsoy, E.; Valcour, V.; Miller, B.; Geda, Y. E.
2026. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. doi:10.1177/13872877261499670
Beichter, S.; Friedrich, W.; Jumar, R.; Marvin, D.; Reckel, J. M.; Waczowicz, S.; Veit, H.; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
2026. doi:10.5281/zenodo.22965111
Angrick, S.; Bals, B.; Gawrychowski, P.; Pissis, S. P.; Yonemoto, Y.
2026. P. Bille, S. Pettie & S. Storandt (Eds.), 34th Annual European Symposium on Algorithms (ESA 2026). Ed: P. Bille, 105:1–105:19, Schloss Dagstuhl - Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (LZI). doi:10.4230/LIPIcs.ESA.2026.105
Lange, K.; Mikut, R.; Kroll, A.
2026. Proceedings. 36. Workshop Computational Intelligence : Berlin, 19. – 20. November 2026. Ed.: H. Schulte, 117–140, KIT Scientific Publishing
Schilpp, L.; Sitcheu, A. J. Y.; Lautenschlager, T.; Saur, L.; Friederich, N.; Mikut*, R.; Allgeier*, S.
2026. Proceedings. 36. Workshop Computational Intelligence : Berlin, 19. – 20. November 2026. Ed.: H. Schulte, 51–77, KIT Scientific Publishing
Damm, J.; Haase, P.; Albiez, M.; Ummenhofer, T.; Veller, S.
2027. Marine Structures, 112, 104256. doi:10.1016/j.marstruc.2026.104256
Oellerich, J.; Padhy, M.; Büscher, K. J.; Golder, M.
2025. Engineering Materials, Structures, Systems and Methods for a More Sustainable Future, 1130–1136, CRC Press. doi:10.1201/9781003677895-190