The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding a new Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) at the University of Bayreuth. The interdisciplinary research of nanostructured functional materials is expected to revolutionize the performance of batteries, solar cells, fuel cells and photocatalysts, thereby opening new perspectives for a sustainable energy economy.The starting point for material-based innovations is a holistic view of the transport of electrons, ions, molecules and heat, and their interactions in the materials. The new CRC 1585 MultiTranswill receive a total of around €11 million from the DFG over the next four years.
The CRC 1585 MultiTrans (an abbreviation for “Structured functional materials for multiple transport in nanoscale confinements”) is based on the observation that the structuring of materials on the nanometer scale has a decisive influence on how electrons, ions, molecules and heat travel within them.
Initially, the research will focus on these four important carrier types, which flow simultaneously but not necessarily in the same direction. Nanostructuring generates a variety of interactions between the carrier flows, the materials, and the involved interfaces. Such interactions, which have by far not been understood, are the focus of the CRC.
The synergistic research within the endeavor that relates the behaviour of electrons, ions, molecules and heat is expected to lead to a vital and fundamental understanding of transport in tailored environments. The latest scientific methods, e.g. from the field of artificial intelligence, will support these analyses. The long-term vision of the CRC is to be able to control all transport streams in nanostructured materials in a targeted and coordinated manner.
The CRC MultiTrans pools expertise in natural sciences and engineering spanning nine research disciplines at the University of Bayreuth. Research partners at the University of Augsburg, the Technical University of Darmstadt and the University of Ulm complement this rich spectrum of knowledge.
The CRC is establishing a Transport Academy to strengthen the synergies between the researchers. It will guide and support the coordinated work within the multidisciplinary research groups. In addition, it will analyze and evaluate new research findings in relation to the overarching research goals of the CRC. A special focus is on fostering scientific talents in cooperation with the University of Bayreuth’s WiN Academy, which offers a broad range of services to support scholars at all individual career stages from doctoral studies to junior professorships.
At the core of the CRC's support for Early Career Researchers is a new Research Training Group on the topic of Transport in Structured Materials: It will strengthen scientific excellence and subject-related soft skills, but also the personal development of doctoral students. It is integrated into the Bayreuth Graduate School for Mathematics and Natural Sciences (BayNAT) and thus is part of the University of Bayreuth Graduate School.
