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The Center for Materials Research

Welcome to the web sites of the Center for Materials Research

Welcome to the web sites of the Center for Materials Research!

The Center for Materials Research is an interdisciplinary university research center at JLU.
It is dedicated to the implementation of joint research projects, the support of the study courses in materials science and it promotes scientific qualification in materials research.


An overview of our scientific team is available under 
Team & Topics.

The center provides the participating research groups with central experimental resources in its
Method Platforms.

The ZfM coordinates the JLU research profile area ("area of
potential") 
Material and Energy (focus: storage materials). 

Further information on our tasks can be found under
About us.

February

Picture of the Month - February 2025

Recovery of Critical Resources from Thin Film Solar Cell Materials via CVT

Thin film solar cells based on cadmium telluride have the shortest lifecycle energy payback time, the lowest water consumption and carbon footprint of all photovoltaics (PV). However, CdTe and its components are toxic and considered critical resources in the periodic table of elements. Therefore, a combined chemical process was developed for both components, in which they can be separated via a gas phase process. By means of chemical vapour transport (CVT), tellurium can be separated with sulphur giving mixed S/Te-rings in the gas phase that separate into the elements after a temperature gradient. Cd is transformed into the oxide with air and can be reduced to the metal with abundant compounds like natural gas and then transported. Separation >99.95% can be achieved without further purification. The process was developed to be carried out in open flow systems that are suitable for a chemical recycling process being sustainable also due to cycling of the transport reagents and limited energy consumption due to moderate process temperatures.

Reference: L. H. Bemfert, J. Burkhart, A. Sedykh, S. Richter, E. Mitura, M. Maxeiner, G. Sextl, K. Müller-Buschbaum, ChemSusChem., 2024, 18, e202400785, DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202400785

This picture was submitted by Prof. Dr. Klaus Müller-Buschbaum.

Further insights into the research activities of the ZfM groups can be found in the Gallery.

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Bericht 2020-2021