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
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.
Funding for Collaborative Research Centre in Chemistry
The Heidelberg University received 10.9 million euros from the DFG for the Collaborative Research Centre 1249, which is led bour Cluster Principal Investigator Petra Tegeder. The research focuses on the development of novel organic materials with tunable electronic and optical properties for use in semiconductors and photoactive devices. The project includes collaborations with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research and will run for up to twelve years.
New Class of Young Marsilius Fellows
We are thrilled to announce that Clara Vazquez-Martel, Doctoral Researcher from our Cluster, has been selected as a Young Marsilius Fellow at Heidelberg University’s Marsilius Kolleg! This prestigious program promotes interdisciplinary dialog between the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, and supports innovative approaches to science communication. Clara will work with a team of young researchers on the topic of “RIGHT & WRONG”, leading up to a symposium in July 2025. Congratulations!
Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung funds research on complex organ models
With six million euros in funding from the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung, researchers at the Heidelberg University are developing innovative approaches for the engineering of complex organoid models. The interdisciplinary project, which includes Principal Investigators Christine Selhuber-Unkel, Wolfram Pernice, Joachim Wittbordt, Michael Boutros and Peer Fischer, aims to create advanced organ-on-a-chip systems for studying multi-organ interactions, enabling precise disease modeling and novel therapeutic testing while reducing animal testing.
