Research Summary and Impact on the Academic and Industrial Sectors

Prof. Dierk Raabe (Director)
Department Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design
Sustainable Synthesis of Materials
Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH

[Research achievement title]

Pioneering research on the sustainability and microstructure-based design of advanced metallic alloys

[Research summary]

Prof. Dierk Raabe has focused on the relation among lattice defects, their defect chemistry, mechanical properties and sustainable fabrication processes in structural metallic materials. Also, he has used state-of-the-art multiscale analysis techniques such as atom probe tomography (1), transmission electron microscopy, field ion microscopy (1), and machine learning (2) for correlative atomic-scale characterization of microstructure developments, such as dislocations and interfaces, and chemical properties due to phase transformation. He has then applied this approach to the trade-off problem between strength and ductility (3), controlling structural phase transformation by chemically adjusting thermomechanical stability, and has developed new materials with both high strength and durability.

[Impact on the academic and industrial sectors]

Prof. Dierk Raabe's research achievements to date have conspicuously contributed to the latest research that is identifying pathways for the sustainability of metallic materials. It is now globally recognized that the production and manufacturing of materials must become more sustainable, particularly the associated high carbon dioxide emissions must be urgently reduced. In this context, Raabe’s work particularly addresses primary production with less carbon dioxide, high-performance alloys based on metal recycling, alloy design for enhanced scrap compatibility, improved impurity- and hydrogen-tolerance of alloys, green steel production by hydrogen plasma, direct reduction of iron ore by hydrogen etc., all contributions with highest urgency and benefit to academia and industry.