Demonstrators

The mission of EAM was to bridge the gap between basic science and real-world applications in advanced materials and processes. Process chains designed to meet this objective were set-up
in Research Areas B-E and were supported by the cross-sectional topics of A1-A3. This concept has proven to be very successful. Demonstrators were built in the first funding period within each Research Area to embody the collaboration between researchers in the fields involved and as a cornerstone to bringing advanced material technologies from the University to real-world applications.

This concept was pushed to a new level in the second funding period by fostering interdisciplinary collaborations not only within each Research Area but also between different Areas. Joint Demonstrators were designed, built, and optimized by groups of interdisciplinary EAM researchers based on the results of ongoing collaborations between the Research Areas. A Joint Demonstrator was a device with specified electronic, optical, catalytic or mechanical multi-functional properties and represented the material outcome of the collaboration between several Areas. Joint Demonstrators challenged the fundamental concepts developed within EAM on the laboratory scale, and thus constituted a significant step
forward to the next level in the process chain, which paved the way to prototypes.

Examples of realized Joint Demonstrators are:

• Micro-reactors for continuous production of nanostructured particles (A1, A2, A3, C, D).
• Solar cells with structured electrolyte materials (A1, A2, B, C, D).
• Selective photocatalysis in photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) (B, C, D).
• Catalytic dehydrogenation reactors based on metallic structures (A1, A2, A3, D, E).