As part of the ERDF/JTF Research InfraProNet 2021-2027 measure, the Free State of Saxony (Sächsische Aufbaubank SAB), with co-financing from the European Union, has been funding the “Accelerator – Accelerated ageing of complex polymeric barrier materials for the energy industry” project since November 2024, thus investing in the research and innovation activities of the IOM.

Complex polymer materials used in lightweight components for the hydrogen economy or photovoltaics often have to withstand demanding physical stresses in addition to chemical stability. One example of this is gas barrier layers, which can be applied to thermally sensitive substrates using light-driven coating technologies. The aim of the project is to gain a better understanding of which structural properties of these materials lead to their reliable use over long periods of time. To this end, gas barrier layers are applied to polymeric and metallic substrates by means of UV-assisted coating processes and exposed to application-relevant aging scenarios. The structural and chemical analysis of the material changes should generate insights into material-structure relationships that can also be used by companies in the Saxon economy. As a prerequisite for such investigations, experimental setups and processes for targeted material aging are being established in the IOM research area “Barrier and Precision Coatings” and used to examine layer systems. IOM researchers with expertise in physics, chemistry and materials science then use their respective subject-specific approaches to examine the material changes depending on the manufacturing and aging conditions.

Contact:
Dr. Ulrike Helmstedt
Head Field of Research Barrier and Precision Coatings
E-Mail: ulrike.helmstedt(at)iom-leipzig.de