1

New Materials, Surfaces and Sensing Applications

Novel Functional Materials

Intelligent Materials

Surface Functionalisation

Nanomaterials and Nanocoatings

New Sensor Devices

2

Challenges and Opportunities

•Wide range of technological, scientific and economic opportunities •Novel materials enable innovation in a large

number of applications•Collaborations between public and private

research sectors•Technology transfer, spin-offs, start-ups•Solutions to environmental and health-related

issues (e.g. replacement of toxic materials)

3

Application-oriented Material Research

•materials with tailored properties or specific functionalities•based on composites, polymers, ceramics,

metals, alloys, semi-conductors etc.

•production processes, engineering and bonding technologies must be co-developed•durability, health issues and recycling properties have

to be considered•modelling and simulation are important tools•strong industrial partners as enhancers

4

Surfaces in Interaction with their Environment

The functionality of a material is often determined by its surface properties!

• techniques for the modification and processing of surfaces

• technologies for the analysis and characterisation of material surfaces

•properties of bulk material should also be considered

5

Nanotechnology: Material Design at an Atomic Scale

•gain robust knowledge of the relationship between structure and property

• take safety aspects into account

Nanostructured materials, surfaces or coatings allow for the exploitation of new physical and chemical effects.

Applications:

•catalysts

•energy conversion and storage

•pharmaceutics

•electronics / sensors

6

New Sensing Devices

New materials will support the development of new sensing devices based on new sensing effects and phenomena.

•very high market potential

• improvement of safety, performance and comfort in various applications

•networks of miniaturised sensors for decentralised monitoring applications

•based on various material classes and technologies (microelectronics, nanotechnologies, MEMS)