BMFTR – Life Cycle-Optimised Material Design (MaterialNeutral)

Funding is available for research and development projects (R&D projects) that design innovative materials to be sustainable throughout their entire life cycle in Germany.

As part of the overarching framework programme Vom Material zur Innovation (From Material to Innovation) and its material hub initiative Ressourcensouveränität durch Materialinnovationen (Resource Sovereignty through Material Innovations – MaterialNeutral), this funding initiative (Module 3 – Ressourcenschonung durch lebenszyklusoptimierte Materialgestaltung) of the Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR – Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space) aims to design materials sustainably, extend their usability, increase their recyclability and integrate functions to reduce negative environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions in Germany. 

Funding is provided for high-risk, application-oriented and pre-competitive R&D projects that increase the maturity level of a selected material or material system by at least one TRL level. In particular, support is provided for projects with a technology readiness level (TRL) of 3 to 6. The goal is to support companies in achieving the long-term goal of a sustainable, circular and resource-efficient economy.

The call has the following three thematic priorities:

A. Sustainable development and life cycle optimisation of materials:

• Increasing recyclability (eg separable material systems, reversible composites or reduction of material complexity).
• Optimisation of service life (eg biodegradable materials or avoidance of unnecessary over-durability).
• Optimisation of material consumption (eg lightweight materials that also fulfil their function).

B. Improvement in material performance, service life or reusability:

• Research/development of innovative surface and protective coatings (eg corrosion protection, abrasion resistance, UV or weather resistance).
• Research/development of modular material systems for reparability and disassembly (‘design for disassembly’).
• Production of highly resistant materials with increased chemical, thermal or mechanical stability.

C. Integration of material functions to increase sustainability:

• Research/development of hybrid material systems with combined structural and functional properties.
• Use of intelligent materials with adaptive or stimulus-responsive properties (eg temperature- or moisture-reactive materials).
• Research/development of sensor-active materials for self-monitoring or interaction with the environment.
• Application of multifunctional coatings to combine different effects (eg antifouling or self-cleaning).

At least one sub-item from priority ’A’ must be included. Assessing the sustainability of material innovation throughout the entire material life cycle is an essential part of the R&D project. The concept for sustainability assessment must be developed in parallel with material development.

The call is part of the BMFTR’s special programme ‘Materialinnovationen für die Transformation von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft‘ (Mat2Twin -Material Innovations for the Transformation of Economy and Society). The Materials Research Programme is part of the Hightech Agenda Deutschland and it also supports the objectives of the Nationale Kreislaufwirtschaftsstrategie (NKWS – National Circular Economy Strategy) and the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act and the United Nations’ Agenda 2030, in particular Goals 6 (Clean Water), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 12 (Sustainable Production and Consumption) and 13 (Climate Action).

The BMFTR has appointed the project management agency Projektträger Jülich (PtJ) to administer the programme on its behalf.