Media Centre

Oulu, Finland – At month 18 of its three-year Horizon Europe project, the PEARL consortium has made decisive progress toward its target of 25% efficient, low-cost flexible perovskite solar cells with carbon electrodes. By combining cutting-edge materials research, pilot-scale roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing and comprehensive sustainability measures, partners across Europe have delivered a series of significant achievements.

As part of the Design-PV project, Fraunhofer FEP has made significant progress in developing aesthetically appealing solutions for building-integrated photovoltaics. Technologies such as roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography enable solar modules to be seamlessly integrated into building facades without compromising the design. Initial tests show that the modules are visually indistinguishable from conventional facade elements yet offer high energy efficiency.

Fraunhofer FEP has developed a new roll-to-roll production process for manufacturing metal-on-polymer current collectors. This technology enables the precise application of copper and aluminum layers onto polymer films to produce current collectors with electrical conductivity and thickness comparable to conventional metal foil-based current collectors. These results provide industry with a valuable basis for optimizing lithium-ion batteries.

New investment from the European Commission is helping innovators exploit the unique properties of light technologies to add smart features and improve the performance of their products through a proven ‘one-stop-shop’ photonics innovation factory.

The EU-funded LUMINOSITY project brings together research and industry partners across Europe to further develop perovskite solar cells on flexible substrates. The project partner Fraunhofer FEP is making promising progress in the deposition of tin oxide and cesium iodide using its expertise in anodic arc evaporation. These innovative technologies are the basis for the development of flexible perovskite solar cells, which will enable environmentally friendly solar energy of the next generation. The project will be presented at the pro flex conference for roll-to-roll coatings of flexible materials on May 6 and 7 in Dresden.

As part of the EU project PERSEUS, Fraunhofer FEP is developing new optically effective surface structures for perovskite solar cells. By using roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography (NIL), reflection losses are to be minimized, and the efficiency of solar cells increased. In the Design-PV project, decorative surfaces for facade-integrated photovoltaic modules are developed using NIL. The versatile NIL technology also offers application possibilities in areas such as antifouling, anti-reflective coatings, and medical engineering. Fraunhofer FEP will provide insights into the progress and possibilities of the new process technology during ICE Europe 2025, from March 11 – 13, 2025, in Munich at booth No. 1720 in Hall A5.

Every year, around four million people in Europe suffer healthcare-associated infections. Pathogens spread quickly via surfaces such as handrails, handles or touchscreens. To reduce the spread of pathogens, particularly in hospitals but also in public buildings, the EU-funded joint project SanFlex is researching a photocatalytic coating that is (additionally) grafted with super-acidic surface properties. This prevents the adhesion of pathogens and eliminates microorganisms as well. The aim of the project is to develop appropriate coating technologies for the cost-effective production of antipathogenic protective films for touchscreen applications. At the BAU 2025 trade fair in Munich, Germany, from January 13-17, 2025, the Fraunhofer FEP researchers will be presenting their initial results at the joint Fraunhofer stand no. 528 in Hall C2.

As part of the EU project “Phabulous” (grant agreement no. 871810), Fraunhofer FEP and JOANNEUM RESEARCH collaborated to develop innovative micro-optical structures that can be applied to large areas of polymer films using roll-to-roll technology. These structures open up a wide range of possible applications for solar cells or decorative aspects. The Fraunhofer researchers have now also succeeded in developing a new type of bird protection film that is particularly effective thanks to its UV contrast and therefore hardly affects the aesthetics of glass façades. The results will be presented at the Micro-Optics Summit 2024, from December 2 – 3, 2024, in Amsterdam.

Based on an industry-oriented competence portfolio, the Fraunhofer Institute for Electron Beam and Plasma Technology FEP in Dresden offers a broad spectrum of scalable research and development opportunities. Our mission is to apply our technological innovation potential for novel production processes and to harness it to meet society's need for resource conservation and climate neutrality. Considering the growing demand for climate-neutral building materials, new manufacturing processes are also being sought in the construction sector. The Fraunhofer FEP is conducting research into innovative electron beam-assisted processes for increased biogenic limestone synthesis using phototrophic microorganisms in order to support the decarbonization of the cement industry. In this way, the CO2 footprint of cement formulations can be further reduced in the future and fossil limestone can be gradually replaced as a primary resource. This research project will be presented at the BAU 2025 trade fair in Munich, from January 13 – 17, 2025, at the joint booth of Fraunhofer in hall C2, booth no. 528.

After a first run in the winter semester 2023/2024, the University of Applied Sciences (HTW) in Berlin has extended Frank-Holm Rögner's teaching assignment in the M11 module “Historical Methods and Current Developments” in Department 5 “Design and Culture” for the master's program “Conservation and Restoration” from 0.5 hours per week to 1 hour per week. In the future, Rögner will give the lecture series “Cleaning principles and technologies for surface treatment and conservation” during the winter semester.