Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Thursday, 23-Feb-2012 11:02:33 CET
http://www.hzg.de/institute/materials_research/index.html.en
Laserschweissen im Institut für Werkstoffforschung / Laser Beam Welding at the Institute of Materials Research

The Institute of Materials Research

In the Institute of Materials Research at the Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht in Geesthacht more than 160 employees work in the 4 research divisions, " Materials Mechanics", "Materials Physics", "Materials Technology " and "Magnesium Innovation Center Magic".

Embedded in the Helmholtz Research Fields "Key Technologies" and "Structure of Matter" the Geesthacht scientists at the Institute of Materials Research develop ultra-light-weight materials and innovative process technologies for the application areas air and ground transportation, implantology and regenerative medicine, as well as energy storage and conversion.

Air and ground transport

Currently about 50% of the staff of the Institute are working in this application area. The activities include the development of novel Mg-and Ti-alloys, which meet the high demands of ultra-light-weight construction, the development of processing technologies, in particular casting and joining processes for the cost effective and resource-saving production of light-weight semi components, and the provision of experimental and computer-aided optimization and evaluation procedures for ensuring the integrity of materials and structures.

Implantology and regenerative medicine

With a view on the aging society, novel routes to manufacture medical devices such as vertebrae screws are followed with the development of biodegradable magnesium alloys and metal powder injection molding processes. With the help of such implants mobility and quality of life may be maintained into old age.

Energy storage and conversion

For the future hydrogen economy, polymer-based membranes for hydrogen production, separation, treatment and for advanced fuel cells are investigated. For hydrogen storage light metal hydrides with particularly high storage capacity for mobile and stationary applications are developed. As the most recent topic, novel nanostructured metals have been included which are explored with respect to their ability to store and make available electric energy in a short time or to realize actuators and sensory functions.

Characterization with photons and neutrons

Whether novel materials hold, what they promise, is being investigated increasingly in an interdisciplinary way. Thus, at the German Engineering Materials Science Centre (GEMS) at various neutron and X-ray radiation scattering instruments, nano-and microstructures in engineering and bio materials are analysed. The instruments, that use neutrons, are located at the HZG outstation at the FRM II in Garching near Munich. Complementary studies using very intense X-rays, the so-called "synchrotron radiation", are conducted at the High Energy Materials Research beamline HARWI II at the DORIS II ring, and at the High Energy Materials Science (HEMS), the Imaging (IBL) and the BIOSAXS Beamline at the PETRA III ring at the HZG outstation at DESY in Hamburg.

News from the Institute of Materials Research

Dr. Thomas Klassen

The Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht and the Helmut Schmidt University agree upon close cooperation

2011-12-09 Pressemitteilung HZG und HSU Kooperation - On Friday 9th December 2011, the president of the Helmut Schmidt University (HSU) Prof. Dr. Wilfried Seidel and the directors of the Helmholtz Centre Geesthacht (HZG), Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Kaysser and Michael Ganß, signed a cooperation agreement to link fields of research in which their two establishments are at the forefront worldwide. The object of the agreement is the creation and sharing of resources for materials research.

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Rollmag MagIC

Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht intensifies cooperation with POSCO in South Korea

2011-11-08 Press release MoU with POSCO - Economic lightweight materials for cars or aeroplanes, new technologies for regenerative energy systems – these are great challenges currently faced by industry and science. In order to better combine scientific research activities and practical experience, scientists of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht and the South Korean company POSCO Ltd. want to cooperate more closely.

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Was presentetd at MECA SENS: The new HEMS-Beamline at the Synchrotron Radiation source PETRA III in Hamburg

Knowing exactly where a crack could develop the skin of an aircraft

2011-09-19 Conference MECA SENS - At the 6th international conference "MECA SENS - Mechanical Stress Evaluation by Neutrons and Synchrotron Radiation" from the 7th to 9th of September more than 120 participants from 20 countries exchanged views on the subject of residual stresses. The event was organized by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht. Residual stresses occur in the manufacture of components, for example, of aircraft and vehicles and can lead to their failure. Therefore, it is important to understand how internal stresses arise in production processes, how to avoid them or may even increase the lifespan of components. Residual stresses can be measured using neutron and synchrotron radiation, since these components enable the investigation of large components even during the production process.

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