An interview with Professor Dr. Britta Nestler and Dr.-Ing. Michael Selzer, Steinbeis Entrepreneurs at the Steinbeis Transfer Center for Material Simulation and Process Optimization
Whether it’s medicine, power engineering, or construction – no industry can move forward without materials. This is why new materials that deliver genuine impact not only lie at the heart of technological progress, but are also central to the competitive standing of the state. But what does this mean in practical terms? This was the question explored in an interview with Professor Dr. Britta Nestler and Dr.-Ing. Michael Selzer, Steinbeis Entrepreneurs at the Steinbeis Transfer Center for Material Simulation and Process Optimization.
Hello Professor Nestler, Hello Dr. Selzer. This issue of Transfer magazine looks at materials, their constituents, and R&D with genuine impact. How would you interpret genuine impact in this context?
Nestler:
You achieve genuine impact in the research and development of new materials when innovations not only bring about actual, tangible, or measurable change, but also make improvements in everyday life or in the processes of industry. Materials are a pivotal element of our lives, everywhere, so developing new materials can result in innovative technologies and products that have a significant impact on time constraints and workloads, and they can also fundamentally change the way we go about things.
Selzer:
One visible impact of new materials is the way they improve the performance of products by making them stronger, lighter, and more durable. In addition to improving performance, materials make it possible to improve cost-effectiveness by helping processes to become more efficient, resulting in savings not only in terms of resources and energy consumption, but also in transportation. An example of this is the development of new materials used in batteries, which are currently helping to push the expansion of electric cars and are thus supporting environmental protection.
Nestler:
A crucial and currently highly topical example of genuine impact in materials research is the development of materials that can be recycled and used again as new parts or other kinds of components. The aim of this is to replace the conventional constituents of composites with sustainable substances, and to contribute to environmental aims by recycling materials and using fewer resources.
How important are sustainability factors to the development of new materials?
Nestler:
Most of the materials research programs that are underway at the moment focus on developing sustainable materials or materials that promote sustainable processes. A defining feature of sustainable materials is that they allow resources to be used efficiently because they’re made from renewables or recycled materials, or they consume less energy or raw materials in production, or they create fewer emissions. It’s becoming increasingly important to develop materials with their own constituents, offering specific properties for specific functionalities within an individual field of application. Examples of this include lightweight materials used in transportation and carbon-reduced substitute materials in the construction industry.
Selzer:
Materials that can be recycled offer the possibility to reduce the volume of waste and the need to use raw materials. Another way to contribute to sustainability is to extend the service life of products. It’s also important to think about working conditions. New and sustainable materials that can be produced under fair working conditions help protect the environment and make society more sustainable. Another goal is to steer clear of materials originating from regions with questionable political practices and instead opt for materials that can be sourced in an environmentally, socially, and politically responsible manner.
It’s also possible to adapt existing materials to new requirements. What will be the biggest challenge with this?
Selzer:
The challenge with modifying materials is that often existing materials already have complex compositions and constituent structures. The spectrum of parameters is multi-dimensional, and often, even small changes lead to a whole host of impacts on material properties. Improving one specific characteristic may lead to deteriorations in others. Adapting materials that are already hi-tech can be extremely demanding in scientific terms, and this can make things costly and time-consuming. Tapping into the whole spectrum of potential adaptations requires extensive testing, and a variety of validations have to be carried out.
Nestler:
That said, making adaptations to established and familiar constituents is also a good way to move things forward and it’s a tremendous opportunity when it comes to application, offering significant enhancements in terms of performance, for example when it comes to strength, hardness, flexibility, or conductivity. Putting these kinds of innovations to use extends across many sectors, from electronics and medicine to the automotive industry. The advantage when you adapt conventional materials is that the time to market is shorter, because you can use existing production processes and infrastructures.
Digitech is everywhere these days and it would be impossible to imagine a world without material developments. In what ways is this development of benefit to you and your customers?
Selzer:
Using digital technology in materials research ranges from material models and high-performance simulation methods, which have developed over a number of decades, to current uses such as the rapid developments being made in structured data management and data processing, but also the methods of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Advanced digital models and simulation programs make it possible for researchers and engineers to predict how materials will react when their constituents change – not only under different conditions, but also at different intensities when it comes to timeframes and spatial factors. The digital infrastructures of research data now allow huge amounts of data and metadata to be stored sustainably in extensive material databases or electronic lab notebooks. This makes it much easier to access data on material properties, manufacturing information, and other factors with a bearing on material selection and application. Also, it enables the exchange of know-how with researchers and experts around the world.
Nestler:
Conducting comprehensive, high-throughput simulations can be used to come up with design concepts not only as a basis for developing material candidates with plenty of potential, but also in order to establish controlled processing conditions. Virtual prototyping and 3D printing allow you to improve the efficiency of development tasks and reduce the need to conduct extensive physical testing. You can use digitech in production to automate processes and thus enhance the efficiency and quality of material manufacturing. Combined with robust research data management, tools like highly advanced simulation methods and data-driven evaluations are indispensable in modern times, especially when it comes to materials development, cost reductions, quality improvements, and global networks.
Turning to the development of functional materials, what’s this all about? And what contribution do knowledge-sharing and technology transfer make to this?
Nestler:
Developing functional materials is about creating constituents that offer specific properties or functions within the context of certain challenges in application. This is about properties that go beyond conventional mechanical or structural features. Examples include stimuli-responsive adhesives, self-healing coating systems, and functional ceramics used in solar thermal applications. Sharing and transferring know-how and technology allows insights, ideas, technologies, and examples of best practice – from various research areas, such as nanotechnology, chemistry, or electronics – to be applied not only on an interdisciplinary level, but also to the fast-track development of functional materials. This creates innovative solutions for use in applications, and it accelerates technological progress and development processes. Technology transfer allows the findings of fundamental research to be translated into real-world functional materials used in industry. Technologies or methods that have already become established can be adapted to the specific requirements of functional materials.
Contact
Prof. Dr. Britta Nestler (interviewee)
Steinbeis Entrepreneur
Steinbeis Transfer Center Material Simulation and Process Optimization (Karlsruhe)
Dr.-Ing. Michael Selzer (interviewee)
Steinbeis Entrepreneur
Steinbeis Transfer Center Material Simulation and Process Optimization (Karlsruhe)