Technologies

UNDERSTANDING AND OPTIMIZING INTERFACES | Surface and interface properties play a crucial role in the quality and performance of numerous products and industrial processes. Even the slightest contamination can affect coating and manufacturing processes, compromising their functionality. This applies to applications such as adhesive bonding, painting, printing, and metallization. Fraunhofer IFAM offers a wide range of analytical methods for comprehensive chemical and structural surface analysis at the nanoscale.

In the group Soft Magnetic Materials, innovative powder technologies are used to manufacture soft magnetic components with reduced losses or special property profiles. Different concepts are pursued depending on the requirements especially the frequency range.

ENERGY-EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE BATTERY ELECTRODES THROUGH SOLVENT-FREE PROCESSES | The industrial scaling of new production processes for battery components is crucial for bringing innovative battery technologies into use. However, high-performance materials alone are not enough: they must also be processed using scalable, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing routes. This is precisely where Fraunhofer IFAM’s research comes in: Using innovative powder technologies and solvent-free electrode processes, the institute is developing new approaches to battery cell manufacturing and examining their implementation all the way through to industrial production.

At the Fraunhofer IFAM training and competence center for humanoid robotics in horticulture located in Stade, Germany, researchers are investigating how humanoid robots can acquire this empirical knowledge, combine it with existing artificial intelligence (AI) models for object recognition and use it to derive appropriate actions for specific situations.

POWDER METALLURGICAL AND CASTING PRODUCTION OF POROUS METALS | Metal foams, porous metals and hybrid materials based on them have an attractive range of properties due to their specific structures. They are used in many areas such as automotive engineering or medical technology to improve technical systems. The Fraunhofer IFAM offers various powder metallurgical and casting processes for the production of open- and closed-cell metal foams.

The "Center for Surface and Coating Technology" at Fraunhofer IFAM demonstrates the future of surface treatment. The state-of-the-art technical center has digitally linked industrial robots – such as painting robots – for the automated cleaning, pre-treatment, and subsequent painting of component surfaces in small and large structures. The entire process chain is digitally mapped and supplemented by interaction options using virtual and augmented reality. R&D goals include the realization of digitally networked surface technology systems and processes as well as process and quality optimization through machine learning and the use of AR/VR methods.

Corrosion is one of the greatest challenges for industry, infrastructure, and the environment. According to DIN EN ISO 8044:2025, corrosion is defined as the “chemical or electrochemical interaction between a material, usually a metal, and its environment.” This interaction can lead to material damage, functional failure, and enormous economic costs. In industrialized nations, 3-4% of gross domestic product is lost annually due to corrosion damage. The fact is that most of this corrosion damage could be avoided if existing knowledge were applied properly. Fraunhofer IFAM offers comprehensive solutions for corrosion protection, testing methods, and damage analysis – scientifically sound and accredited.

The aging of bonded joints begins immediately with their manufacture. External stresses are decisive for their speed and thus their significance for the bonded component. The visible or measurable manifestations of aging are very diverse. For example, the glass transition temperature can decrease due to the degradation of polymer structures or increase due to plasticizer diffusion as well as incorporation of stiff molecular structures into the polymer chains. Specific functions of the adhesive, e.g. conductivities or damping, may deteriorate and / or the bond strength may drop. At Fraunhofer IFAM, we are investigating the aging of adhesives in order to sustainably improve/ensure the longevity of bonded joints.

FUNCTIONALIZABLE METAL SURFACES THROUGH PLASMA ELECTROLYTIC OXIDATION (PEO) | Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), also known as micro arc oxidation (MAO), is a wet chemical process that enables the production of highly functionalizable oxide layers on metals whose oxides do not have electrical conductivity, such as aluminum, magnesium, or titanium. These coatings are hard, wear-resistant, heat-resistant, and porous, making them ideal for use in aerospace, medical technology, and other high-performance industries.

Green hydrogen is considered a key building block of the energy transition. At the same time, existing electrolysis processes face major challenges: hydrogen production is still costly and energy-intensive and requires highly purified water. This is exactly where the SeaEly project came in. Together with partners from research and industry, the Fraunhofer IFAM developed new components and testing methods for direct seawater and brackish water electrolysis. The aim was to enable efficient hydrogen production even with challenging water qualities — without the need for complex desalination processes.