Smart Materials: DFG Funds Pioneering Research Project

Shape-memory alloys (SMA) are metals that “remember” their original structure even after severe deformation and can return to their original shape. Furthermore, it is possible to harness additional effects, even to close cracks in existing structures. SMEs have been a central focus of research for many years for Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Niendorf, head of the Metallic Materials Division at the Institute of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Kassel and spokesperson for the FOR 6001 Research Group. Known applications for such metals range from medical technology—for example, in the form of stents and dental braces—to actuators in the automotive, aerospace, and aviation industries. In addition, they are already being used in initial applications in the construction industry to reinforce existing structures. 

While research has so far mostly focused on a single property of these specialty metals, the consortium team is now combining various effects for the first time. This is leading to the development of new iron-based alloys that are more versatile and significantly more durable than previous materials.

Computer-Aided Development and Industrial Application

To achieve this, the research team uses models to calculate the optimal composition of the metals in advance on a computer. These compositions are then implemented directly on a laboratory scale and evaluated using so-called high-throughput characterization methods. Practical applications for the new alloys are particularly evident in the construction industry, for example in structures that reinforce buildings for a longer service life or protect them against vibrations.

“By specifically combining these material properties, we are breaking new technological ground,” explains Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Niendorf. “Thanks to the DFG funding, we can bridge the gap from basic research in the laboratory directly to custom-made components for practical applications.”

A Look Inside the Metals

To understand how the alloys react in detail, the project combines computer models with high-precision measurement techniques. The researchers examine the materials using electron microscopes and X-rays to analyze their structure down to the level of individual atoms. The team from Kassel and Freiberg recently demonstrated the success of this approach: the scientists uncovered a previously unknown deformation behavior in these alloys. 

The Research Group can rely on excellent infrastructure at both universities. In recent years, a number of unique devices have been put into operation at the University of Kassel, including a metal 3D printer that utilizes artificial intelligence and one of the “brightest” laboratory X-ray sources in the world. The teams from Kassel and Freiberg are now building on these findings to tailor the materials specifically for future technical applications. 

Contact:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Niendorf
Department of Metallic Materials
Tel.: +49 561 804-7018
Email: niendorf[at]uni-kassel[dot]de

What does this mean in a nutshell?

• 4 million euros in DFG funding: The DFG is funding the new Research Group FOR 6001 at the University of Kassel (led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Niendorf) and the TU Bergakademie Freiberg for four years.
• Novel shape-memory alloys (SMA): Research is focused on special iron-based metals that, for the first time, combine multiple material properties—for longer-lasting components in the construction and Mechanical Engineering industries.
• From Theory to Application: The combination of computer models, atomically precise analytics, and AI-supported 3D metal printing directly links basic research with practical application.