The intelligent and efficient use of traditional and new materials is a key foundation of our social prosperity and essential for almost all modern technical devices. At the same time, new, more sustainable high-performance materials can be a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change.

At HTWK Leipzig, materials research for the construction industry, mechanical engineering, medical technology and energy technology has therefore been a growing priority for years. In order to facilitate interdisciplinary cooperation in the field of materials science and the cross-faculty use of existing equipment technology for analytical and material-diagnostic issues, four HTWK professors founded the Competence Centre for Materials Research in June 2021, which has evolved into the Leipzig Center of Materials Science.

At this centre of excellence, researchers analyse materials such as carbon concrete, fibre-reinforced composites and metallic alloys. This is possible thanks to numerous new analytical methods, for which modern large-scale research equipment such as a scanning electron microscope and a computer tomograph are used. Among other things, the two devices enable material analyses on different length scales from the macro to the nanometre range.

By researching innovative advanced materials, new, more durable products with tailored properties can be developed for various applications.