Merck and the University of Erlangen Cooperate in the Field of New Hybrid Materials for more Energy-efficient Processes

Press release published by Merck KGaA

Merck and the Cluster of Excellence Engineering of Advanced Materials (EAM) at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have announced their cooperation in the field of new hybrid materials for more energy-efficient processes. This new strategic cooperation centers on catalytic conversion, gas purification and new functional surfaces.

The cooperation combines the material and process expertise of the EAM scientists with a number of highly innovative classes of materials from Merck, including ionic liquids, silica-based functional materials and fluorochemicals. The hybrid materials resulting from this cooperation promise great potential for safer, more energy-efficient and more eco-friendly processes and products. For example, the ionic liquids developed by Merck are to be integrated at the EAM into novel catalyst and membrane systems intended for use in oxidation chemistry and hydrogen purification. The hybrid materials developed will be tested at EAM pilot plants and optimized in terms of material and process technology. Merck is elaborating application scenarios and aims to develop the results further in the form of prototypes.

“The cooperation between Merck and the EAM is a further step toward achieving materials and processes that enable a more responsible use of resources such as energy and raw materials in the future”, says Dr. Klaus Bofinger, Head of Advanced Technologies at Merck.

“This strategic alliance clearly shows that the Cluster of Excellence EAM not only has a high level of expertise in materials development, but is also sought after as an important partner when it comes to industrial applications”, says Professor Peter Wasserscheid, coordinator of Catalytic Materials research at the EAM.

The Cluster of Excellence Engineering of Advanced Materials
The Cluster of Excellence Engineering of Advanced Materials – Hierarchical Structure Formation for Functional Devices situated at Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg has been funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) since 2007 as part of the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments. It is the only materials science cluster of its type in Germany to focus on the research and development of innovative materials having a hierarchical structure formation from the molecular level up to macroscopic scale. In more than 90 projects, 200 scientists from eight disciplines (biological and chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, information technology, mechanical engineering, applied mathematics, physics, and materials science) collaborate along the value chain from molecule to material, developing innovative materials in the areas of nanoelectonics, optics, catalysis and lightweight construction.
More information can be found at www.eam.uni-erlangen.de

Further information: