EXC 2082:  3D Matter Made to Order (3DMM2O)

• Subject Area: Polymer Research ; Electrical Engineering and Information Technology ; Basic Research in Biology and Medicine ; Materials Science ; Molecular Chemistry ; Condensed Matter Physics ; Systems Engineering
• Term: since 2019
• Website: Homepage
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 390761711

The paradigm change initiated by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, replacing rigid block printing by movable type printing, was not only a technical advance that has continued unabated to this day, but fundamentally transformed society by providing readily available information.Three-dimensional (3D) Additive Manufacturing has the potential to effect a similarly disruptive paradigm change. Tabletop instruments convert information, available in the form of a digital blueprint, directly into 3D matter (i.e. materials, devices, systems). At the macroscale, 3D printing is already a substantial worldwide trend. We believe that the time has now come to think way ahead along these lines.Our vision is to establish scalable digital 3D Additive Manufacturing reaching all the way from the molecular, via the nanometer and micrometer, to the macroscopic scale. To achieve this vision, we will establish a central research area "Technologies", where we design and build new machine tools, rendering 3D Additive Manufacturing scalable and enabling multi-material printing at the nanoscale, increasing speed by orders of magnitude, while allowing for resolutions below 10 nm. In the research area "molecular materials", we will design and synthesize the necessary novel molecular units, tailored molecular inks, photochemical switches as well as resists. We will provide them to the "Technologies" area and fabricate hierarchical materials from molecular subunits beyond the molecular scale via directed self-assembly of metal-organic frameworks. These far-reaching 3D additive technologies allow to address critical scientific questions and create a push and pull for previously inaccessible scientific applications. In the three thrusts of research area “applications”, we will explore examples of increasing complexity. In the first thrust, we will demonstrate 3D optical interconnects in next-generation optical chips for ultra-high-speed information processing, which will contain multiple levels in the third dimension. 3D metamaterials form the second thrust. In analogy to the thousands of effective colors attainable from just three color cartridges in today’s graphical printers, we will achieve specific properties with only a few ingredient materials – especially properties not accessible from ordinary materials. In the third thrust, we will use molecularly functionalized 3D micro-scaffolds to direct stem cell differentiation and tissue organization. The resulting hybrid functional cellular network will function as a 3D organotypic system. We have selected the reconstruction of the vertebrate retina as a relevant and demanding model system.We will realize these ambitious goals in a coordinated interdisciplinary effort of the natural and engineering sciences, by seizing the complementary strengths of the two involved universities.

• DFG Programme: Clusters of Excellence (ExStra)
• Applicant Institution: Karlsruher Institut für Technologie
• Co-Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Participating Institution: Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT); International Department gGmbH
• Spokespersons: Professor Dr. Uwe F. H. Bunz, until 10/2021; Professorin Dr. Christine Selhuber-Unkel, since 7/2023; Professor Dr. Martin Wegener, until 7/2023; Professor Dr. Joachim Wittbrodt, until 7/2023
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Christopher Barner-Kowollik; Professor Dr. Martin Bastmeyer; Professor Dr. Stefan Bräse; Professorin Dr. Dagmar Gerthsen; Professorin Dr. Frauke Gräter; Professor Dr. Peter Gumbsch; Professor Dr. A. Stephen K. Hashmi; Professor Dr.-Ing. Christian Koos; Professor Dr. Jan Gerrit Korvink; Professor Dr. Ulrich Lemmer; Professor Dr. Michael Mastalerz; Professorin Dr. Gislene Pereira; Professor Dr. Carsten Rockstuhl; Professorin Dr. Ute Schepers; Professor Dr. Rasmus R. Schröder; Professorin Dr. Ruth Schwaiger; Professor Dr. Ulrich Schwarz; Professor Dr. Joachim P. Spatz; Professor Dr. Motomu Tanaka; Professorin Dr. Petra Tegeder; Professor Dr. Wolfgang Wenzel; Professor Dr. Christof Wöll