3D Matter Made to Order
Cluster of Excellence of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) & Heidelberg University
3D Additive Manufacturing Driven Towards the Molecular Scale
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More InformationThe Cluster of Excellence is a collaboration of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Heidelberg University (Uni HD). It pursues an interdisciplinary approach through conjunction of natural, engineering, and social sciences. 3DMM2O establishes scalable digital 3D Additive Manufacturing transcending from the molecular to the macroscopic scale.
This approach converts digital information into functional materials, devices and systems “made to order.” 3DMM2O creates a powerful technology push and pull by treating molecular materials, technologies and applications as indissolubly intertwined.
On the technology side, the scientific challenges are “finer, faster, and more”, i.e., advance molecular materials and technologies in terms of resolution, speed, and multi-material printing by orders of magnitude.
On the application side, we aim at functional 3D hybrid optical and electronic systems, 3D artificial materials called metamaterials, and at reconstructing functioning organotypic systems by using 3D scaffolds for cell culture.
Prof. Dr. Martin Wegener
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
martin.wegener@kit.edu
Prof. Dr. Christine Selhuber-Unkel
Heidelberg University
selhuber@uni-heidelberg.de
News
Funding awarded for innovative research in cell biology
Our Principal Investigator, Prof. Dr. Kerstin Göpfrich of the Heidelberg University, has been funded by the prestigious Allen Distinguished Investigator Program of the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. Her project, in collaboration with researchers in Austria and the United Kingdom, will investigate how chemical exchange processes influence cell shape and the role of active membranes in cellular communication. The Foundation is providing $1.5 million for this groundbreaking research, which combines simulations, synthetic membrane systems, and in vivo experiments to unravel this newly hypothesized mechanism.
Leibniz Prize for pioneering research in photonics
Our Principal Investigator, Prof. Dr. Wolfram Pernice from the Heidelberg University, has been awarded the prestigious Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The award recognizes his pioneering work in integrated photonics, particularly in the development of neuromorphic photonic computing for energy-efficient AI and quantum technologies. The prize, the most prestigious research award in Germany with a purse of 2.5 million euros, highlights his groundbreaking interdisciplinary research spanning physics, computer science and engineering.
New Video: Sustainable 3D Printing with Algae and Sunflower Oil
Explore the future of sustainable 3D printing in our latest Explain Like I’m Five video with Clara Vázquez-Martel, a Doctoral Researcher at the Heidelberg University. Clara explains her research on using microalgae and sunflower oil as eco-friendly alternatives to petroleum-based materials to create biocompatible, high-resolution 3D printing materials. By chemically modifying these natural resources, her work highlights a greener approach to advanced manufacturing. Don’t miss this inspiring insight into how science is making sustainability a reality. Watch it now in German!
A New Milestone in 3D Printing
Researchers have developed a groundbreaking 3D laser printing method for single-crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) structures with sub-micrometer precision, eliminating the need for cleanrooms or complex post-processing. The team, including Cluster Doctoral Researchers Matthias Steurer, Kristian Kraft, Steven Kraus, Postdoctoral Researchers Paul Somers, Lukas Grünewald, Florian Feist, and PIs Prof. Dr. Stefanie Dehnen, Yolita M. Eggeler, Christopher Barner-Kowollik, and Martin Wegener, optimized the process with DMSO and tailored substrates to improve heat management and light absorption. This innovation enables precise printing, opening new possibilities for microelectronics and optics, such as nanowire transistors and microlasers.
Breaking barriers in 3D printing: Pascal Kiefer Wins Otto Haxel Award
We are proud to announce that our Cluster Alumnus, Pascal Kiefer, has been awarded the prestigious Otto Haxel Award for Physics for his groundbreaking dissertation on “Next-Generation Multi-Focus 3D Laser Printing”. His innovative work addresses key limitations in printing speed and introduces advances in photoresist sensitivity and beam splitting techniques that are revolutionizing 3D laser printing for transformative applications in fields such as healthcare and materials science. Congratulations to Pascal on this remarkable achievement!
Humboldt Professorship for Christopher Barner-Kowollik
Our Custer Principal Investigator, Christopher Barner-Kowollik, has been awarded the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Professorship. He will join the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) to research new materials and polymer-based systems, with a focus on next-generation materials. Barner-Kowollik’s work in photochemistry challenges long-held ideas and opens up new possibilities in fields such as phototherapy and materials development. He will also serve as director of the Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG) at KIT, leading a new research direction in innovative materials.
