New Research Training Group for research into modern functional materials
Another major success for FAU: The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding a new Research Training Group (RTG) at FAU, which is researching the development of functional materials for sustainable technologies.
Correlative microscopy as a key to better materials for the energy transition
From solar cells and batteries to electrolyzers for green hydrogen — functional materials are at the heart of many technologies driving the energy transition. Their performance depends not only on their overall composition, but crucially on what happens deep inside them: at the microscopic scale, invisible to the naked eye.
This is where the new research training group RTG 3103 “Correlative Materials Microscopy (CorMic)” comes in. Doctoral researchers will employ cutting-edge microscopy and spectroscopy techniques — using electrons, X-rays, and light — to explore both the inner architecture and the working principles of these materials. By combining these tools in a correlative approach, they aim to uncover how microscopic structure governs material performance. Artificial intelligence will support this effort by detecting patterns and hidden relationships in the complex imaging and measurement data. The insights gained will help accelerate the development of more efficient materials — and in turn, more powerful technologies for a sustainable energy future.
Prof. Dr. Erdmann Spiecker, Chair of Micro- and Nanostructure Research, serves as the speaker of this RTG. The German Research Foundation (DFG) is supporting the RTG project with €8.7 million until March 2031.
Further information
Prof. Dr. Erdmann Spiecker
Chair of Micro- and Nanostructure Research
09131/8570400
erdmann.spiecker@fau.de