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
Mittnacht, J.
2026, March 3. Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT). doi:10.5445/IR/1000191941
Grunwald, A.
2026, March 27. 3. Tagung des Göttweiger Kreises (2026), Burghausen, Germany, March 27, 2026
Evers, T.; Vallée, T.; Mantik, J.; Dörre, M.; Boretzki, J.; Albiez, M.
2026. adhäsion KLEBEN & DICHTEN, 70 (3), 42–47. doi:10.1007/s35145-026-1816-5
Scherz, C.; Mahr, D.
2026, March 13. Jenseits der Gitter: Resonanzräume zwischen Freiheit und Verantwortung (2026), Karlsruhe, March 13, 2026
Mahr, D.; Weinberger, N.
2025, December 17. Weihnachts-Wissensdurst (2025), Karlsruhe, Germany, December 17, 2025
Mahr, D.
2026, March 1. Augmented by the Other - Ausstellung ORLAN Artistic Intelligences (ORLAN 2026), Munich, Germany, March 1, 2026
Lüchinger, R.; Haase, M.; Baumann, M.; Walter, H.; Worlitschek, J.
2026. Journal of Energy Storage, 160, Art.-Nr.: 121719. doi:10.1016/j.est.2026.121719
Laborgne, P.; Raich, S.; Schreider, C.; Rogga, S.
2026, March. GTPF Arbeitstagung 2026 (2026), Eberswalde, Germany, March 12–13, 2026
König, A.; Wieczorek, W.
2026, March. Frühlingsakademie 2026: Was ist nachhaltige Kreislaufwirtschaft? (2026), Karlsruhe, Germany, March 23–26, 2026
Grunwald, A.
2026, March 24. Workshop "Engineering Ethics & Dual Use" (2026), Online, March 24, 2026
Kemmesies, U.; Wetzels, P.; Austin, beatrix; Büscher, C.; Hutter, S.; Richter, T.; Rieger, D.; Grube, F.; Sobota, S. (Eds.)
2026. Motra Monitorinsystem und Transferplattform Radikalisierung. doi:10.57671/isbn.978-3-911329-02-6_2026_motra
Mendes, B. D. L.; Cheng, C.; Hilgers, C.; Kontny, A.
2026. Geophysical Research Letters, 53 (7), e2025GL120586. doi:10.1029/2025GL120586
Liu, J.; Mu, X.; Sidler, J.; Lutz, R.; Geiges, J.; Maier, M.; Schlachter, T.; Hagenmeyer, V.
2026. 2026 Open Source Modelling and Simulation of Energy Systems (OSMSES), 1–7, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/OSMSES69376.2026.11457227
Mu, X.; Liu, J.; Demirel, G.; Schlachter, T.; Hagenmeyer, V.
2026. 2026 Open Source Modelling and Simulation of Energy Systems (OSMSES), 1–7, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/OSMSES69376.2026.11457221
Wuwang, Y.; Kannengießer, N.; Sturm, B.; Dehling, T.; Sunyaev, A.
2026, April 2. doi:10.35097/6jx8zy871cvrfdr4
Shahzadi, K.; Schneider, M.; Ying Lo, N.; Hase, F.; Meyer, J.; Cayoglu, U.; Borsdorff, T.; Martinez-Velarte, M. C.
2026. Earth System Science Data, 18 (3), 2153–2177. doi:10.5194/essd-18-2153-2026
Afifi, N.; Mas, V. L.; Leitenberger, F.; Hemmerich, J.; Kleinhans, L.; Grauberger, P.; Matthiesen, S.
2026. 2026 Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium (RAMS), 1–7, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). doi:10.1109/RAMS50514.2026.11424541
Rank, S.; Jin, D.; Kannengießer, N.; Sunyaev, A.
2026. Research Handbook on Digital Data: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. Ed.: A. Aaltonen , M. Stelmaszak, K. Lyytinen, 343–357, Edward Elgar Publishing. doi:10.4337/9781035348718.00033
Li, S.; Reith, H.; Bieberstein, A.; Schlüter, V.; Stutz, H. H.
2025. R. Cardoso, C. Jommi & E. Romero (Eds.), E3S Web of Conferences, 642, 06005, EDP Open. doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202564206005
Büscher, C.; Kusche, I.; Röller, T.; Gazos, A.
2026. KI in der Prävention: Expertisen zum 31. Deutschen Präventionstag. Hrsg.: G. R. Wollinger, Deutscher Präventionstag