Materials

Here you will find comprehensive information on the materials being studied in the Material Hub’s projects. These include catalytic and membrane materials, polymers, and materials whose nanoparticulate forms exhibit special properties.

For each material, we provide an overview and then go into detail, right down to the relevant literature sources.

We address the following aspects: What properties does the material have? How might humans come into contact with it? Is there any release into the environment? Can humans or the environment absorb these materials? How do they act? We also consider sustainability aspects such as extraction, resource consumption during processing, social aspects and disposal.

Aluminium and Aluminium Oxides

Aluminium is the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust. As a soft and very light metal, it is easily...

Carbon Black

Carbon black is used as a component of toner, car tyres, mascara, for leather dyeing and for a variety of...

Carbon Nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes have extraordinary properties: they are even stronger than steel, yet very light. Depending on the type of tube,...

Cellulose

Nano-cellulose is used for insulating materials and films for food packaging. It is also found in medical products due to...

Cerium Dioxide

As a car exhaust catalyst, cerium dioxide in the form of nanoparticles can convert highly toxic carbon monoxide into less...

Clays

Clays and especially nanoclays are used to improve the flame retardancy of plastics. They are important components of soils and...

Cobalt

Cobalt is used in most modern batteries such as the lithium-ion battery or the nickel-metal hydride batteries that have been...

Copper and Copper Oxides

Both the reddish-brown metal copper and also copper oxide are standard materials for electrical cables, for coins and an active...

Diamond

Diamond is the hardest known material. Diamonds in the nanometre range are produced industrially at high temperatures and under high...

Fullerenes

Fullerenes, also called bucky balls, are a very new modification of pure carbon and their form resembles soccer balls. They...

Gold

Gold is used as a catalyst, in jewellery, electronics and many other applications. It changes its familiar golden yellow colour...

Graphene

Graphene and graphene-based materials are used for a range of applications. For example, in membranes for separating substances, electronics, photonics...

Indium Tin Oxide

Indium tin oxide (ITO) or tin-doped indium oxide is a mixture of indium oxide and tin oxide, in which the...

Iron and Iron Oxides

Iron is further processed into steel or electronic data storage media. Iron compounds are also used in catalytic processes in...

Manganese and Manganese Oxides

Manganese oxides are chemical compounds of manganese and oxygen. They are used in steel, batteries and also in catalytic converters....

Nickel

Nickel is a heavy metal with a silvery appearance and a common catalysing material. It is also a component in...

Organic UV-Blocker

MBBT and TBPT are the abbreviations for substances used in sunscreens to filter out the ultraviolet component of light and...

Palladium

Palladium is a shiny, silver-white metal that belongs to the platinum group elements. It is widely used in the automotive...

Perovskites

Perovskites are used as membrane materials in gas separation. They are being researched for use in solar cells. Perovskites are...

Platinum

Platinum is a rare precious metal. It is used in the manufacture of jewellery, in vehicle catalytic converters, as a...

Polystyrene

Plastics are materials that consist of single styrene molecules bonded together to form long chains, so-called “polymers”. They are produced...

Quantum Dots

Quantum dots are a class of “nanocrystals” with a very small diameter of often only one or a few nanometres....

Rhodium

Rhodium is a rare precious metal that does not rust. It is best known for its use in automotive catalytic...

Ruthenium

Ruthenium is a dark grey, shiny metallic precious metal. It is used as a catalyst in the chemical industry. Many...

Silicon Dioxide

Technically produced, mostly amorphous (i.e. non-crystalline) silicon dioxide is contained in many products, e.g. varnishes and paints, but also in...

Silver

Silver has been used in cutlery and jewellery for centuries. It is also widely used as a catalyst in chemical...

Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide may have catalytic properties, e.g. by breaking down dirt with the help of sunlight. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles are...

Zeolites

Zeolites are important materials for industrial and consumer products. Due to their skeletal structure, they are interspersed with countless pores...

Zinc Oxide

Zinc oxide is an all-rounder when it comes to technical applications. It is used in rubber production, in cement, in...

Zirconium Dioxide

Zirconium dioxide, also known as zirconia, is one of the most commonly used oxide ceramics. Applications include abrasives, dental prostheses,...

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