The Institute of Materials Research

We develop the future of materials

Climate change and scarcity of resources are just two of many reasons that make constant and sustainable material development necessary. Our scientists at the Institute for Materials Research work in a wide variety of research areas to develop the materials, process technologies and components of the future quickly and in a resource-saving manner.

The research focus of the Institute of Materials Research lies in the development of new material solutions and their process technologies for applications in aerospace, digitalisation as well as the energy and transport sectors. In cooperation with other DLR institutes and national and international partners, the Institute of Materials Research works on basic and applied research.

The research portfolio covers the areas of metallic and hybrid materials, structural and functional ceramics, aerogels and aerogel composites, thermoelectric systems as well as high-temperature and functional coatings. The development of numerical methods for the simulation of material behaviour completes this expertise with the aim of supporting the transfer of materials into industrial applications.

In the field of monolithic and hybrid high-performance structures based on fibre-reinforced ceramics and plastics, light metal alloys and hybrid material systems, the Institute of Materials Research in Cologne and the Institute of Structures and Design complement each other to form a systemic research portfolio that covers the entire engineering chain from material to prototype.

In addition to its scientific work, the Institute is involved in the training and further education of young scientists at renowned German universities with professorships and teaching assignments. Further information on this can be found in the careers and young talent section.

Mission & Vision

Our Mission	Our Vision
We are developing the future of materials We are recognised worldwide as a leading and reliable partner for excellent science and the development of new materials and their manufacturing processes. New digital tools make us faster and more efficient. They allow us to expand the search space for new material compositions. In projects and programmes, we cooperate with complementary disciplines and with industry. This is where we demonstrate our innovative strength, ensure sustainable solutions and transfer them into application. An open culture and efficient working methods help us to shape the future of materials. We are expanding our materials portfolio with a view to sustainability Industry, research and DLR programmes form the basis for the development of our materials portfolio. Together, we develop needs and requirements and consistently translate these into research into new materials and their manufacturing processes for sustainable mobility, energy technology and aerospace. We develop our scientific excellence Excellent materials science depends on the innovative strength of researchers and state-of-the-art methods and equipment. Our aim is therefore to work with the best. We invest in new physical and digital methods and processes. New simulation processes, data-centred methods and computer systems have the same priority for us in materials research as high-performance process engineering and analytics. We also initiate the development of new methods beyond our core competences with our partnerships. We stand for consistent technology transfer Our material innovations will only have an impact if we ensure that they are utilised by industry in the near future, which is why we are involved in the technology development processes of our industrial partnerships and support the exchange of employees. We take care to retain our scientific freedom. We create a flexible and powerful knowledge network Scientific dialogue enriches, inspires and sparks energy. That is why we network and work together across disciplines - as a team, between departments, with DLR institutes and in external partnerships. International cooperation in science and industry plays an important role here. Our diversity at the institute and international research visits open up new perspectives for us. We create more flexible forms of work We are rethinking how we want to work together. We reinvent, reorganise and use the latest digital tools. Mobile and on site at the institute, we create more leeway, maintain our innovative strength and remain agile as an organisation. We do better research together The employees of the Institute of Materials Research and the Institute of Structures and Design work together on projects and programmes to create synergies.	We develop materials for the world of tomorrow Only materials make progress possible! Here we conduct research together with excellent scientists with the aim of transferring technology into application! With new and customised materials, we are meeting the challenges of our time, the sustainable use of resources, climate-neutral mobility and energy conversion as well as the exploration of space. A world worth living in tomorrow - that is what drives us. We are internationally recognised as an institute for materials research By developing new methods, linking different disciplines in a targeted manner and encouraging each individual's thirst for research, we are gaining completely new insights into the fundamentals of materials research. This strengthens our reputation in the international scientific community and secures our position as a leading institute in Europe. We are taking the transfer of knowledge into practice to a new level Our strength in the scientific field makes us faster and more successful in transferring our expertise to product and process innovations. Together with our partnerships and customers, we are developing the aerospace technologies of tomorrow and contributing to key issues in environmental and climate protection. We see sustainability as a fixed objective of our actions Thinking and acting in terms of sustainability is a matter of course at our institute and is firmly anchored in our scientific work and processes. We are pioneers in the utilisation of raw materials and with our material solutions for sustainable mobility, aerospace and energy technology.

Our Mission

Our Vision

We are developing the future of materials

We are recognised worldwide as a leading and reliable partner for excellent science and the development of new materials and their manufacturing processes.

New digital tools make us faster and more efficient. They allow us to expand the search space for new material compositions. In projects and programmes, we cooperate with complementary disciplines and with industry. This is where we demonstrate our innovative strength, ensure sustainable solutions and transfer them into application. An open culture and efficient working methods help us to shape the future of materials.

We are expanding our materials portfolio with a view to sustainability

Industry, research and DLR programmes form the basis for the development of our materials portfolio. Together, we develop needs and requirements and consistently translate these into research into new materials and their manufacturing processes for sustainable mobility, energy technology and aerospace.

We develop our scientific excellence

Excellent materials science depends on the innovative strength of researchers and state-of-the-art methods and equipment. Our aim is therefore to work with the best. We invest in new physical and digital methods and processes. New simulation processes, data-centred methods and computer systems have the same priority for us in materials research as high-performance process engineering and analytics. We also initiate the development of new methods beyond our core competences with our partnerships.

We stand for consistent technology transfer

Our material innovations will only have an impact if we ensure that they are utilised by industry in the near future, which is why we are involved in the technology development processes of our industrial partnerships and support the exchange of employees. We take care to retain our scientific freedom.

We create a flexible and powerful knowledge network

Scientific dialogue enriches, inspires and sparks energy. That is why we network and work together across disciplines - as a team, between departments, with DLR institutes and in external partnerships. International cooperation in science and industry plays an important role here. Our diversity at the institute and international research visits open up new perspectives for us.

We create more flexible forms of work

We are rethinking how we want to work together. We reinvent, reorganise and use the latest digital tools. Mobile and on site at the institute, we create more leeway, maintain our innovative strength and remain agile as an organisation.

We do better research together

The employees of the Institute of Materials Research and the Institute of Structures and Design work together on projects and programmes to create synergies.

We develop materials for the world of tomorrow

Only materials make progress possible! Here we conduct research together with excellent scientists with the aim of transferring technology into application! With new and customised materials, we are meeting the challenges of our time, the sustainable use of resources, climate-neutral mobility and energy conversion as well as the exploration of space. A world worth living in tomorrow - that is what drives us.

We are internationally recognised as an institute for materials research

By developing new methods, linking different disciplines in a targeted manner and encouraging each individual's thirst for research, we are gaining completely new insights into the fundamentals of materials research. This strengthens our reputation in the international scientific community and secures our position as a leading institute in Europe.

We are taking the transfer of knowledge into practice to a new level

Our strength in the scientific field makes us faster and more successful in transferring our expertise to product and process innovations. Together with our partnerships and customers, we are developing the aerospace technologies of tomorrow and contributing to key issues in environmental and climate protection.

We see sustainability as a fixed objective of our actions

Thinking and acting in terms of sustainability is a matter of course at our institute and is firmly anchored in our scientific work and processes. We are pioneers in the utilisation of raw materials and with our material solutions for sustainable mobility, aerospace and energy technology.

More about the Institute of Materials Research

Research Infrastructure

Discover our unique research infrastructure and find out more about the fascinating (large-scale) systems we use.

Departments

Get to know our different departments and fascinating research focuses.

Contact

Prof. Dr. Heinz Voggenreiter

Head of the Institute

German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Institute of Materials Research

Linder Höhe, 51147 Cologne

Prof. Dr. Guillermo Requena

Deputy director of the Institute and Head of the Metallic and Hybrid Materials Department