Natural Sciences - Materials Science

"Smart Materials, smarter Sensors" was the guiding theme of Thüringer Werkstofftag 2026, which brought around 120 participants from academia, industry, and politics to the Technical University of Ilmenau on March 19.

A team from the University of Stuttgart and international researchers have succeeded in making perovskite solar cells more efficient and more resistant to environmental influences. This is another important step towards the application of a technology that holds great promise for photovoltaics.

Sodium ion batteries have become a hot topic: They are considered to be cost-effective and widely available. At the same time, dependencies on Asian supply chains could be reduced. But does the technology deliver what it promises? On Battery Day on February 18, the birthday of the inventor of the first battery, Alessandro Volta, MEET Division Heads Dr Johannes Kasnatscheew and Dr Markus Börner take a nuanced look at the potential of sodium ion batteries.

"Smart Materials, Smarter Sensors" - Intelligent materials and sensor technology will be the focus of the 24th Thuringian Materials Day on March 19 at the TU Ilmenau. Thuringian Materials Day is one of the most important forums for experts from science, industry, and politics on innovations in materials development, testing, and application. Here, current developments in materials research are discussed and new collaborations are initiated. The program for this year's event includes keynote speeches, short scientific presentations, and a poster and industry exhibition. Participation in the event is free of charge.

Study shows: "Switching to a new battery technology does not automatically open the door to new market players". Batteries are considered a key technology for the global energy and mobility transition.

Sense of touch despite thick elephant skin: Researchers have discovered that the hairs on elephants' trunks are responsible for their extraordinary sense of touch.