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
Nick, M. A.; Damm, N.; Reiser, J. E.; Baumann, M.; Deml, B.
2025. Zeitschrift für Arbeitswissenschaft. doi:10.1007/s41449-025-00492-3
Manz, J.; Ruppert, R.; Haindl, M.; Hubbuch, J.; Graf, T.; Pschirer, J.
2025. Molecular Therapy Methods & Clinical Development, 33 (4), Art.-Nr.: 101603. doi:10.1016/j.omtm.2025.101603
Lee, C. H.; Elitaş, M.; Korvink, J. G.; Jouda, M.
2025. Journal of Magnetic Resonance, 381, Art.-Nr.: 107988. doi:10.1016/j.jmr.2025.107988
Ritschel, C.; Appenzeller, A.; Popescu, R.; Donsbach, C.; Köppe, R.; Wenzel, J. O.; Breher, F.; Eggeler, Y. M.; Klopper, W.; Feldmann, C.
2025. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Art.-Nr.: e202515995. doi:10.1002/anie.202515995
Papash, A.; Fuchs, M.; Borkowski, T.; Ray, N.; Ruprecht, R.; Schäfer, J.; Müller, A.-S.
2025, June. 16th IPAC’25 - International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC 2025), Taipei, Taiwan, June 1–6, 2025
Nasse, M. J.; Smale, N. J.; Nabinger, M.; Malygin, A.; Schmelzer, T.; Schäfer, J.; Schuh, M.; Ruprecht, R.; Blomley, E.; Gethmann, J.; Bernhard, A.; Wesolowski, P.; Khechen, D. El; Mexner, W.; Steinmann, J. L.; Xu, C.; Santamaria Garcia, A.; Brosi, M.; Fuchs, M.; Bründermann, E.; Müller, A. S.
2025, June. 16th IPAC’25 - International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC 2025), Taipei, Taiwan, June 1–6, 2025
Krasch, B.; Bank, M.; Borkowski, T.; Fischböck, T.; Nasse, M.; Ruprecht, R.; Völker, A.; Widmann, C.; Müller, A. S.
2025, June. 16th IPAC’25 - International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC 2025), Taipei, Taiwan, June 1–6, 2025
Hoteit, H.; Malygin, A.; Mochihashi, A.; Papash, A.; Schuh, M.; Steinmann, J. L.; Blomley, E.; Müller, A.-S.
2025, June. 16th IPAC’25 - International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC 2025), Taipei, Taiwan, June 1–6, 2025
Gethmann, J.; Mexner, W.; Shen, B.; Ruprecht, R.; Bründermann, E.; Müller, A. S.
2025, June. 16th IPAC’25 - International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC 2025), Taipei, Taiwan, June 1–6, 2025
Schwetz-Mangold, T.
2025, October 30. Seminarvortrag University of Heidelberg, Institute for Theoretical Physics (2025), Heidelberg, Germany, October 30, 2025
Kuhn, C.; Beck, M.; Strufe, T.
2020. 2020 IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy (SP), San Francisco, CA, 18-20 May 2020, 168–185, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/SP40000.2020.00039
Phark, S.- hyon; Weber, B.; Yoshida, Y.; Forrester, P. R.; Elbertse, R. J. G.; Stroscio, J. A.; Wang, H.; Yang, K.; Gross, L.; Mishra, S.; Paschke, F.; Kaiser, K.; Fatayer, S.; Repp, J.; Anderson, H. L.; Peña, D.; Albrecht, F.; Giessibl, F. J.; Fasel, R.; Fernández-Rossier, J.; Kawai, S.; Limot, L.; Lorente, N.; Jäck, B.; Huang, H.; Ankerhold, J.; Ast, C. R.; Trahms, M.; Winkelmann, C. B.; Franke, K. J.; Soldini, M. O.; Wagner, G.; Neupert, T.; Küster, F.; Das, S.; Parkin, S. S. P.; Sessi, P.; Wang, Z.; Madhavan, V.; Huber, R.; Singh, G.; Donati, F.; Rusponi, S.; Brune, H.; Moreno-Pineda, E.; Ruben, M.; Wernsdorfer, W.; Huang, W.; Au-Yeung, K. H.; Willke, P.; Heinrich, A. J.; Baumann, S.; Loth, S.; Veldman, L. M.; Otte, S.; Wolf, C.; Sellies, L.; Schofield, S. R.; Flatté, M. E.; Keizer, J. G.; Simmons, M. Y.
2025. Nano Futures, 9 (3), Art.-Nr.: 032001. doi:10.1088/2399-1984/ade6b7
Madegwa, Y. M.; Hu, Y.; Schaller, J.; Butterbach-Bahl, K.
2025. Scientific Reports, 15 (1), Art.-Nr.: 36111. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-24063-y
Sinnhuber, M.; Arras, C.; Bender, S.; Funke, B.; Liu, H.; Marsh, D. R.; Reddmann, T.; Rozanov, E.; Sukhodolov, T.; Szelag, M. E.; Wissing, J. M.
2025. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 25 (21), 14719–14734. doi:10.5194/acp-25-14719-2025
Domingues, I.; Amaral, J.; Vieira, B.; Machado, A. L.; Santos, C. I. M.; Sousa, J. P. M.; Sciortino, A.; Cillari, R.; Popescu, R.; Eggeler, Y. M.; Messina, F.; Mauro, N.; Gonçalves, G.
2025. Environmental Research, 286, Art.-Nr.: 122851. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2025.122851
Khaykin, S.; Bekki, S.; Godin-Beekmann, S.; Fromm, M. D.; Goloub, P.; Hu, Q.; Josse, B.; Laeng, A.; Meziane, M.; Peterson, D. A.; Pelletier, S.; Thouret, V.
2025. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 25 (21), 14551–14571. doi:10.5194/acp-25-14551-2025
Ballesteros Martínez, M. Á.
2025, October 28. 1st International Congress on Innovations for the Rural Agroindustry (2025), Medellín, Colombia, October 27–29, 2025
Ballesteros Martínez, M. Á.; Gaukel, V.
2025, April 15. 18th European PhD Workshop on Food Engineering and Technology (2025), Athens, Greece, April 15–16, 2025
Tirelli, C.; Ceccherini, S.; Del Bianco, S.; Funke, B.; Höpfner, M.; Cortesi, U.; Raspollini, P.
2025. Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 18 (20), 5619–5636. doi:10.5194/amt-18-5619-2025
Mistrangelo, C.; Bühler, L.; Eke, E.
2026. Fusion Engineering and Design, 222, Art.-Nr.: 115505. doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.115505