New Materials: These Are the Materials of the Future

Innovative materials are changing our world – and our everyday lives. In small ways, for example, when fried eggs and fried potatoes no longer stick to the pan thanks to new coatings. And in large ones, when materials like carbon are used in all areas of industry due to their light weight and resilience making previously unthinkable applications possible.

That is why innovations in materials science are not only fascinating, but also of vital importance for industry in the 21^st century. They often offer improved performance and durability and make a substantial contribution to sustainability and efficiency. From aviation to the automotive industry, companies are increasingly making use of the features that innovative materials make possible. For example, lighter composite materials significantly reduce fuel consumption, while advanced polymers increase the durability of body components, thereby reducing the need for replacement parts.

A Growing and Highly Dynamic Market

It is no wonder that the market for new materials is growing dynamically and that with every technological advance, new possibilities arise. The constant demand for environmentally friendly alternatives is advancing research and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. But how do these groundbreaking innovations come about? The answer lies in a collaboration spanning a range of industry sectors and a global network of scientists, engineers and innovators, combining insights from chemistry, physics and engineering.

Thus, in a rapidly changing world, new materials are the key to a sustainable and future-proof industry. They are fundamentally changing the way we produce and consume. This is especially true for Bavaria. The fact that it is so easy to find so many exciting examples of new material developments here is no coincidence: Bavaria has a strong, internationally competitive economy that quickly seizes on trends and is committed to setting them itself.

The market for new materials has enormous potential for growth. The development of future-proof and sustainable technologies is therefore crucial for the future viability of local industry. ‘Our state is particularly shaped by numerous large and medium-sized industries, especially in the fields of automotive engineering, aircraft engines, electrical engineering, mechanical and plant engineering, and the construction industry. In these fields, the results of materials research can be directly implemented in the development of the respective component in a proven manner,’ explains Prof. Rudolf Stauber of the Bavarian cluster for new materials.

Perfect Conditions for the Development of New Materials in Bavaria

To make profitable use of these synergies, companies require the necessary infrastructure – for example, in the form of easy access to markets throughout Europe and highly qualified specialists who have specialised in the development and production of new materials. With renowned universities and research institutions, such as the Technical University of Munich and the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials, companies in Bavaria have access to cutting-edge research. Added to this are local hubs such as the Centre of Excellence for New Materials, which was initiated and is supported by the universities in Bayreuth and Fürth. Also worth mentioning is Neue Materialien Fürth GmbH (NMF), an application-oriented research institute of the Free State of Bavaria with the aim of implementing new materials and manufacturing processes in industry-oriented solutions in close cooperation with research institutes and partners from industry.

This basic research is one side of the equation. On the other hand, the Bavarian government is also putting together funding programmes for companies that make investments in this area particularly attractive. Since 2006, the state has been pooling its expertise in the field of materials in the 'New Materials’ cluster as part of the ‘Cluster Initiative Bavaria.’ The development of new materials has an even longer tradition in Bavaria and has been funded by the Bavarian government since the early 1990s. On this basis, Bavaria has established a leading position for itself in the area of new materials in Europe. This is evident in many different innovative fields of application.

Fields of Application for New Materials in Bavaria

Construction Industry

Sustainable innovations are of great importance, especially in the construction industry. A total of 7% of global CO2 emissions are caused by cement production. It’s no wonder that intensive research into new materials is underway in this area.

• KohPa: The company KohPa, based in Dachau, has developed ‘the world’s first electrically conductive paper.’ This carbon fibre-paper composite material can be used as a surface heating system in lightweight construction, for example as wallpaper, but also in ceiling or underfloor heating systems. As early as 2020, the material was selected by the EU as one of the Top 5 innovations in Europe for the prestigious ‘Green Materials Box.’
   
• TU Munich: The Technical University of Munich is exploring future possibilities for the construction industry through 3D printing techniques, such as building with clay and flood protection, as part of a research association on ‘Additive Manufacturing in Construction’ (AMC). The project focuses on topics such as more efficient material use and environmentally friendly production methods.

Aerospace

Every kilogram of material saved in the construction of an aircraft saves airlines €2,000 annually in fuel consumption – and significantly reduces the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. For this reason, research into new materials is of paramount interest in the aerospace sector.  

• Lightweight Construction Research Centre: Since 2013, Fraunhofer ICT and DLR in Augsburg have been researching the materials of the future and their industrial production at their dedicated Lightweight Construction Research Centre. Over the years, vast technical expertise has been developed, which is now being incorporated into the global aerospace industry.
   
• Bayern-Chemie: The DLR’s MAPHEUS-14 high-altitude research rocket, designed for zero-gravity experiments conducted hundreds of kilometres above the Earth, was equipped with the new ‘Red Kite’ rocket engine, which was developed jointly by DLR and Bayern-Chemie. It uses composite solid fuels made from a polymeric network containing crystalline oxidisers and, depending on the formulation, powdered metals and other additives.

Automotive

Few industries are undergoing as much transformation as the automotive sector, which faces increasing pressure to make not only driving but also production and recycling more sustainable. The use of new materials is therefore particularly important in this area.

• BMW: Natural fibres in a car? This is increasingly becoming a reality. BMW, for example, has made substantial investments in bio-lightweight construction. This is particularly relevant in interior design, where up to 70% of the plastics currently used and about 60% of the CO2 emissions associated with the component could be reduced. Moreover, carbon fibre components, which are produced in a CO2-intensive process, can also be replaced with natural fibre materials.
   
• NALYSES: The NALYSES research project aims to develop a sustainable, climate-friendly headlight. As part of this project, researchers are investigating how products and raw materials can be used for as long as possible within a circular economy. Supported by various industrial partners from Bavaria – including Hella and Covestro – Fraunhofer IEM researchers are examining the entire product lifecycle of a headlight, from material procurement to repair and recyclability.

Healthcare

New materials in the healthcare sector? It may sound unusual at first glance, but research in this field continues to yield groundbreaking results – even in Bavaria.

• Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU): A team from the University of Geneva and LMU has developed fully biodegradable nanoparticles capable of delivering a new anti-inflammatory drug directly to macrophages – the cells responsible for triggering uncontrolled inflammatory reactions – thereby ensuring its high efficacy. Furthermore, the scientists employed an in-vitro screening method, eliminating the need for animal testing.

Sustainability

The demand for innovative solutions to ecological challenges is ever-present. New materials can reduce resource consumption in various industries and promote sustainable production methods.

• Insempra: The biotech company Insempra is developing high-strength textile fibres that absorb kinetic energy by using computational design to create synthetic proteins. The goal is to scale up the production of sustainable alternatives to petrochemically produced and animal-derived materials, such as silk, and reduce environmental impacts, including microplastic pollution.

These examples demonstrate that it’s not only the obvious, everyday innovations that are changing our world sustainably through new materials. On the contrary – it’s often the processes occurring away from the public eye that enable us to achieve more sustainable mobility and better health. This is being driven, in part, by research and development made in Bavaria.