- Ruhr-Universität Bochum
The path to new materials, e.g. for storage media for cell phones, PCs, but also for future energy systems, goes via plasma technology. Electrical and information engineers, physicists and also mechanical engineers from the "Plasmas with Complex Interactions" Research Department in Bochum are researching fundamental questions of plasma physics from the atom in the gaseous phase down to performance characteristics of coated material surfaces with scientists at the Technical University Aachen (RWTH).
Although plasma coating of surfaces is already being used industrially, the development of new surface coatings is mainly empirical, as there are no scientific foundations on the interactions of plasmas with surfaces. The researchers intend to close this gap on the basis of examples. Their object of research on the one hand is machine components equipped with anti-adhesive and wear-resistant coatings, on the other hand expandable barrier layers on thermoplastics.
The central subject in Bochum is pulsed plasmas, partly with magnetic field support, as they are important for the forward-pointing synthesis of intelligent coating systems. Parallel to this, the coating systems developed are qualified and prepared for large-scale technical application in the area of Material Research at the RWTH Aachen.
- Alfred Ludwig
- Achim von Keudell
- Anjana Devi