Current projects
- CRUSADE: Recycling technologies for end-of-life vehicle components to create a sustainable source of marketable materials for the EU (Horizon Europe), 2024–2027
- GREENSTEEL: Introduction of hydrogen technologies in steel production (EIT Raw Materials), 2024–2026
- K1-MET II: Technologies for non-ferrous metals (K1-MET, Austria), 2023–2027
- Mini-ROXY: Mini-ROXY soil testing campaign in preparation for a lunar ISRU demonstration WP 2: Technical University of Freiberg (BMWK), 2023–2025
- HARMONY: Holistic approach to improving the recyclability of rare-earth permanent magnets recovered from any waste streams (Horizon Europe), 2024–2027)
- GrInHy 3.0: Green industrial hydrogen via high-temperature steam electrolysis in a steelworks environment; sub-project: Experimental development of circular processes and life cycle assessment (LCA) of SOEC stacks (BMWK), 2023–2027
- CarboFuel: Recycling of carbon fibre-reinforced composites in pyrometallurgical oxide systems (EEW – Industrial Funding), 2023–2027
- RecRef: Refractory recycling: A contribution to raw material, energy and climate efficiency in high-temperature processes, (DFG Research Training Group 2802), 2023–2031
- KlimaZinn: Biogenic waste, biogenic fuels and green hydrogen replacing fossil fuels in tin metallurgy, (German Federal Environmental Foundation), 2023–2026
- REESilienz: Resilient and sustainable REE supply chains for critical raw materials for ecosystems and strategic sectors such as electric mobility and renewable energy, (Horizon Europe), 2023–2026
- GreenTin: Development of a hydrometallurgical process for extracting tin from Saxon tin ores, (Dr Erich Krüger Foundation), 2023–226
- ReLiFe: Recycling of lithium ferrophosphate in the RIS region, (EIT Raw Materials No. 22020), 2023–2025
- PurCo: Copper purification (smelting filtration), Federal Ministry of Education and Research, (BMBF Early-Career Research Group), 2022–2026
- ReLi-ion2022.: ReLi-ion: Innovation transfer and B2B collaboration on the recycling of lithium-ion batteries, (EIT Raw Materials No. 21113), 2022–2024
- ALCASIM: Advanced LCA based on process and thermodynamic simulation, (EIT Raw Materials No. 21093), 2022–2024
- DysCovery: Sustainable supply of REE and cobalt through magnet recycling: closing the loop, (EIT Raw Materials No. 21028), 2022–2024
- EEW recovery from dust (VerSt): Rapid scale-up to a zero-waste process, (sponsored by EEW Energy from Waste GmbH), 2021–2024
- optGaN – Gallium nitride with optimised structural properties, Dr Erich Krüger Foundation at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, 1 July 2024 – 31 December 2026.
- InGaGe – Novel GaN wafer production, sub-project of the EU collaborative project InGaGe: Production of In, Ga, Ge, Sb and As semiconductor raw materials from European resources, 1 May 2026 – 30 April 2030.
- Experimental investigation of flow in a complex force field with induction heating, DFG project, planned start date: 1 January 2027.
- GaN with optimised structural properties, funded by the Krüger Foundation
Completed projects
2026
- Mine.io: A holistic digital Mining 4.0 ecosystem, (Horizon Europe), 2023–2026
2025
- GaN layer system with a separation layer, funded by the SAB via the TUBAF Innovation Fund (TIF)
- Marsch: Online material classification of slag using radar, (BMBF-KMU-innovativ), 2023–2024
2024
2023
- “SFB 920: Multifunctional filters for molten metal filtration – a contribution to Zero Defect Materials, sub-project C06: Investigation of the mechanism of action and efficiency of reactive filters for preventing undesirable H2 porosity in aluminium castings and for removing particles and H2 from molten magnesium” (DFG project SFB 920/3 2019), duration 2019–2023
- Alternative fibre materials based on copper slag, Sächsische Aufbau Bank (SAB No. 100397513), 2020–2023
- RECYCALYSE: New sustainable and recyclable catalytic materials for proton exchange membrane electrolysers, EU project (Horizon 2020 No. 861960), 2020–2023
- Project P2.1: Non-ferrous metal technologies, (K1-MET – Centre of Excellence for Advanced Metallurgical and Environmental Process Development), 2019–2023
- CLIENT II - ReAK collaborative project: Reduction of arsenic from copper concentrates – sub-project: Sulphides and microbiological leaching, (BMBF 033R205B), 2019–2023
2022
- “ESF Skills Development, Sub-project 8” SAB/ESF Project 100357878, Duration: 2019–2022
2021
- “Investigation and Further Development of High-Temperature Gas-Phase Epitaxy for the Production of Single-Crystal GaN Layers” DFG Project PA 1236/3-3, Duration: 2019–2021
- “ERA-MIN2 - Collaborative project: RecEOL – Recycling of end-of-life products – Sub-project: Metallurgical refining”
BMBF project 033RU008A, Duration: 2018–2021 - RecEOL: Recycling of end-of-life products – sub-project: Metallurgical refining, (ERAMIN-2 – BMBF 033RU008A), 2018–2021
2020
- IMAGINE-II - Implementation of EIT KIC Raw Materials Master’s Programmes in Sustainable Materials EU project (KIC Raw Materials) PA 17135, duration: 2018–2020
- SOCRATES - European Training Network for the sustainable, zero-waste valorisation of (critical) metal-containing industrial process residues EU project (Horizon 2020) MSCA 721385, Duration: 2016–2020
- “r4 – Raw materials of strategic economic importance: GERRI collaborative project – Establishment of a German virtual research institute as the “German Resource Research Institute” – Sub-project 4” BMBF project 033R125D, Duration: 2015–2020
2019
- ‘Investigations into liquid metal flow for crystal growth under the influence of a travelling magnetic field using a two-plane ultrasonic measurement system’
DFG project PA 1236/5-1, Duration: 2016–2019 - “SFB 920: Multifunctional filters for molten metal filtration – a contribution to zero-defect materials, sub-project C06: Investigation of the mechanism underlying the efficiency of reactive filters for preventing undesirable H₂ porosity in aluminium castings” DFG project SFB 920/2 2015, Duration: 2015–2019
- “r4 – strategically important raw materials: EcoGaIN – Recovery of gallium from production waste in the semiconductor industry, sub-project 6: Ga–As separation using membrane processes” BMBF project 033R169F, Duration: 2016–2019
- “Collaborative project: ZnMobil – Mechanically and electrically rechargeable zinc-air battery for automotive applications – Characterisation of the slurry” BMWi project 03ET6090E, Duration: 2016–2019
- “r4 – strategically important raw materials: VAFLOW collaborative project – Use of a vanadium electrolyte based on secondary raw materials in redox flow battery storage systems, sub-project 2: Hydro- and pyrometallurgical processes” BMBF project 033R170B, duration: 2016–2019
- “Collaborative project: Crystallisation technologies for oxygen-reduced, performance-optimised and low-resistance silicon materials for PERC applications (KORONA), Sub-project: Model experiments on crystallisation processes” BMWi Project 0324099C, Duration: 2016–2019
2018
- Ensuring academic success – supporting students through supervised study groups SAB/ESF project 100298806, Duration: 2017–2018
- “r4 – strategically important raw materials: AgREE – Agricultural recycling of electrolysis electrodes – Sub-project 3: Electroraffination and characterisation of silver powder” BMBF project 033R144C, Duration: 2015–2018
- “ESF Early-Career Research Group ‘Defect Engineering in Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor Materials for Applications in Optoelectronics and Power Electronics’, Sub-project 5” SAB/ESF Project 100231954, Duration: 2015–2018
2017
- IMAGINE – Development and Implementation of EIT KIC Raw Materials Master Programme(s) in Sustainable Materials EU project (KIC Raw Materials) PA 15012, Duration: 2016–2017
- COPPLEX - New Sustainable Process to treat Complex Raw Materials, Revaluating Residues EU project (KIC Raw Materials) PA 15032, Duration: 2016–2017
- “Liquid Metal Technologies (LIMTECH)” Project by the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres HA-315, Duration: 2012–2017
- “Biohydrometallurgical Centre, Sub-project 12: Extraction of metallic indium and germanium from process solutions” Project by the Dr Erich Krüger Foundation, Duration: 2013–2017
- “Investigation and further development of high-temperature gas-phase epitaxy for the production of single-crystal GaN layers” DFG Project PA 1236/3-1, Duration: 2015–2017
2016
- “r³ - Strategic Metals, collaborative project: SMSB ‘Extraction of strategic metals and other minerals from Saxon mining waste heaps, WP1: Waste heap register, analysis, modelling and coordination’ BMBF project 033R095A, duration: 2012–2016
- “Collaborative project: Development of highly efficient and cost-effective PV-Si wafers (ENOWA_II), sub-project: Model experiments for the directional crystallisation of Si blocks” BMWi project 0325805H, duration: 2015–2016
2014
- “KMU-innovativ – Collaborative project on climate protection: Improving energy efficiency in aluminium casting through nanostructured oxides and additives – Sub-project 1” BMBF project 01LY1108A, Duration: 2011–2014
- “SFB 609: Electromagnetic control of flow in metallurgy, crystal growth and electrochemistry, Transfer Project T01: Growth of multicrystalline silicon under optimised flow conditions” DFG project SFB 609 – 2011, Duration: 2011–2014
- “Cutting-edge technology cluster: Functional structural design of new high-performance materials through atomic design and defect engineering (ADDE), Sub-project: Defect and stress correlation in GaN layers on nanostructured substrates (Phase 2)” SAB Project 100104095 (Saxony State Excellence Initiative), Duration: 2012–2014
- “Cutting-edge Technology Cluster: Functional Structural Design of New High-Performance Materials through Atomic Design and Defect Engineering (ADDE), sub-project: Structure–property correlation in multicrystalline solar silicon and defect engineering during growth using silicon feedstock of varying purity (WP 2 – Phase 2)” SAB Project 100114950 (Saxony State Excellence Initiative), Duration: 2012–2014
- “Collaborative project: Development of high-performance and cost-efficient PV-Si wafers (ENOWA), sub-project: Model experiments and mould coating for the directional crystallisation of Si ingots” BMWi project 0325646B, Duration: 2013–2014
2013
- “Growth Core Potential – Collaborative project: Hybrid lithium extraction, WP 1” BMBF Project 03WKP18A, Duration: 2011–2013
2012
- “SFB 609: Electromagnetic Control of Flow in Metallurgy, Crystal Growth and Electrochemistry, Sub-project B7: VGF single-crystal growth under the influence of external magnetic fields” DFG project SFB 609/2 – 2006, duration: 2006–2012
- “Collaborative project: Improved resource utilisation and reduction of primary energy consumption in lead metallurgy; sub-project: Fundamental process engineering development” BMBF project 033R012A, Duration: 2009–2012
- “Cutting-edge technology cluster: Functional structural design of new high-performance materials through atomic design and defect engineering (ADDE), sub-project 2: Structure–property correlations in multicrystalline solar silicon and defect engineering during growth using silicon feedstock of varying purity” SAB Project 13831/2337 (Saxony State Excellence Initiative), Duration: 2009–2012
- “Cutting-edge technology cluster: Functional structural design of new high-performance materials through atomic design and defect engineering (ADDE), sub-project 5: Defect and stress correlation in GaN layers on nanostructured substrates” SAB Project 13762/2337 (Saxony State Excellence Initiative), Duration: 2009–2012
2011
- “Collaborative project: Identification of factors influencing pore formation in stainless steel casting and development of integrated prevention measures (alloy – mould design – mould materials)” – Sub-project 3” BMBF Project 01RI0724A, Duration: 2008–2011
- “Collaborative project: Recycling of nickel/cobalt/molybdenum and vanadium/tungsten/molybdenum secondary materials, sub-project 1” BMBF project 01RI0723A, duration: 2008–2011
2009
- “Collaborative project: Nanostructured oxides for influencing the properties of aluminium castings, sub-project 2: Investigation of metallurgical fundamentals” BMBF project 01RI05230, Duration: 2006–2009
- “Vertical Gradient Freeze growth without crucible contact” DFG project PA 1236/1-2, Duration: 2008–2009
2008
- “Optimisation of crystal properties in melt-based semiconductor growth” BMWi project 50WM0032, Duration: 2000–2008
- “Vertical Gradient Freeze growth without crucible contact” DFG project PA 1236/1-1, Duration: 2006–2008
2007
- “Joint project: Process-integrated environmental protection in copper metallurgy – closing metal cycles and reducing CO₂ emissions, sub-project 1: Determination of process engineering fundamentals” BMBF project 01RW0419, Duration: 2004–2007
- “Collaborative project: Recycling of nickel/cobalt/molybdenum and vanadium/tungsten/molybdenum catalysts, sub-project 1” BMBF project 01RW0416, Duration: 2004–2007
- “Causes of wetting defects in the roll coating of metal surfaces” AiF Project 14346 BG/2, Duration: 2005–2007