EU cooperation for improved glass

FAU researchers help develop research infrastructure in Slovakia

“FunGlass” is the title of an EU project with funds of 15 million euros aimed at establishing a new centre of excellence for improved glass materials in the Slovakian city of Trencin. The Institute of Bio-materials at FAU is participating in the scientific development of the centre. FunGlass is financed through an EU Horizon 2020 Teaming project that supports EU countries with a developing research infrastructure.

The Institute of Bio-materials at FAU is one of four international partners cooperating in the development of the centre of excellence, the others being Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Padua University in Italy and the Madrid Institute for Ceramics and Glass in Spain. Research activities will focus on the functional properties of glass and how they can be used in new applications. In particular, FunGlass (Centre for Functional and Surface-functionalized Glasses) research will investigate how the properties of glass change and how new functional properties of glass can be developed. Such functional properties are needed in the fields of solar energy and medical technology, for instance in anti-reflex coatings on solar energy products or anti-bacterial and self-cleaning receptacles for medical applications.

The team from Erlangen will play a leading role in the area of “Glass in Medicine” due to its expert knowledge in this field. Prof. Dr. Aldo R. Boccaccini, Chair of Bio-materials, will be responsible for the academic and professional training of doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers until they take on a position at the new centre in Trencin. In return, bio-material research at FAU will benefit from the international exchange with the members of the new centre of excellence and new network opportunities.

Further information:

Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Aldo R. Boccaccini
Phone: +49 9131 8528601
aldo.boccaccini@ww.fau.de