Press Releases

A new European project has been launched to design an innovative high-energy and safe, solid-state lithium-ion battery cell for the electric vehicle market and beyond.

The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is placing unprecedented restrictions on public life and economy. The global research efforts to fill the knowledge gaps regarding the new pathogen and to develop effective therapies are correspondingly large. In Wuerzburg, too, researchers from the Fraunhofer Translational Center for Regenerative Therapies are working together with the virologist Prof. Dr. Bodem from the University of Wuerzburg to identify active substances against the virus.

The European large-scale research initiative BATTERY 2030+ presents the long-term research roadmap that outlines the actions needed to invent the sustainable batteries of the future.

The design and construction of specialized research tools and customized devices for accurate calibration of laboratory glass has a 30 year tradition at the Fraunhofer ISC. The focus is on calibration as well as the detection of production failures with 100 percent reliability and precision. Meet us at the German Pavilion on Arab Lab 2020 from 16 – 18 March, Booth 417.

Individually manufactured and still suitable for mass production? Cost pressures on the one hand and demand for individualized products on the other require new flexible production processes and materials with individual functionality. The Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC is working on sustainable material concepts and processing technologies that are scalable, variable and efficient – in order to meet "mass production with lot size one" and to enable small, variable and efficient manufacturing units. At this year's NANOTECH in Tokyo, examples from three different work areas of the Fraunhofer ISC will be shown.

Around 60 international experts met on November 7 at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg to report on the state of the art in the field of 3D tissue models and prevention of animal experiments in the development of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The Forum MedTech Pharma and the Fraunhofer Translational Center for Regenerative Therapies TLC-RT had invited to the conference, which is scheduled to take place annually.

Individually manufactured and still suitable for mass production? Within the framework of the Fraunhofer "Go Beyond 4.0" project, this apparent contradiction is to be eliminated. In the field of illumination optics, the two Fraunhofer Institutes for Silicate Research ISC and for Optics and Precision Engineering IOF developed new material concepts and processing technology for multifunctional and individualized optical components for “lot size 1”.

In modern architecture, large-area glazing is a continuing trend because of its appearance and design variety. Large southwards-oriented windows help to reduce the energy demand for heating in winter. However, large-area glazing may significantly increase the energy demand for cooling and air-conditioning in hot summers. Smart Glass Solutions – such as electrochromic (EC) and thermochromic (TC) windows and glass façades –control the radiation energy transfer with the "touch of a button" and thus can drastically reduce the energy demands for heating and air conditioning of large buildings. In addition, they allow superior indoor lighting comfort in contrast to conventional mechanical window blinds. On 1st October 2019, the EU-funded initiative "Switch2save" was launched to improve the availability and affordability of EC and TC smart glass technologies. The consortium of ten partners from research and industry will demonstrate the energy saving potential of smart glass solutions in two fully-operational buildings.

Six Fraunhofer Institutes have succeeded in using digital printing and laser processes to realize the individualization of components in mass production environments. This opens up completely new possibilities for design and weight reduction through material savings.

Electromobility sets challenging requirements for new high performance batteries – cruising range, life span, safety, or charging times, to mention only a few. An intrinsic challenge is the resource need for a growing number of big car batteries. Ten partners from industry and research organizations successfully joined forces in the EU funded project ECO COM'BAT to develop a sustainable next generation of high-voltage lithium-ion batteries.