Chair for Materials Science and Engineering
Institute for Materials • Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Micro- and Nanomechanical Characterization for Sustainable Materials Design
(Prof. Dr. Gerhard Dehm)
Knowledge of local mechanical properties is crucial for sustainable materials and future-proof materials design because many failure mechanisms originate on a microscopic scale: cracks, delamination, or plastic deformations often start at interfaces, grain boundaries, or in local defect zones. Nano- and micromechanical measurement techniques enable the quantitative measurement of the deformation and fracture behavior of materials at the local microstructure level and with high spatial resolution. Given the challenges of mechanically reliable, recycled materials weakened by impurities, the ongoing miniaturization of material systems, and the need for accelerated, high-throughput materials testing, understanding the mechanics of materials on a small scale is essential for sustainable materials engineering. This course provides the fundamentals of nano- and micromechanics and offers both theoretical and practical insights into advanced mechanical characterization techniques for sustainable materials development in research and industry.
Lecture announcement 2026:
Course annoucement_RUB2026-1.pdf
