DECHEMA-FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT STIFTUNG

Their core work

DECHEMA-Forschungsinstitut (DFI) is a Frankfurt-based research institute specializing in materials science and electrochemistry for high-temperature and energy applications. They develop and test advanced alloys, coatings, and functional materials that withstand extreme conditions — from concentrated solar power plants to next-generation battery systems. Their work spans corrosion science, materials characterization, and computational materials design, with a growing focus on additive manufacturing of high-temperature components.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

DFI's early H2020 work (2015–2016) focused on electrochemical energy storage (aluminium-ion batteries in ALION) and extending the lifetime of functional materials for solar energy (RAISELIFE). From 2020 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward high-temperature materials engineering — supercritical CO2 power cycles, advanced alloy development, and additive manufacturing of heat-resistant components. The addition of computational materials science in their latest project signals a move toward simulation-driven materials design.

DFI is moving from purely experimental materials testing toward integrated computational-experimental workflows for designing materials that survive extreme thermal and corrosive environments.

How they like to work

DFI consistently participates as a specialist partner rather than leading consortia — all four H2020 projects are in the participant role. With 51 unique partners across 13 countries, they connect broadly across European research networks rather than working with a small recurring group. This pattern suggests they are sought after as a materials expertise provider: groups come to them when they need high-temperature corrosion testing, materials characterization, or alloy development.

DFI has collaborated with 51 distinct partners across 13 countries, indicating a well-distributed European network. Their partnerships span energy research centers, universities, and industrial players across the EU, with no single geographic cluster dominating.

What sets them apart

DFI sits at the intersection of materials science and energy technology — a combination that makes them valuable for any consortium developing hardware that must survive extreme heat, pressure, or corrosive conditions. Unlike university labs that publish and move on, DFI as a dedicated research institute offers continuity and deep infrastructure for long-term materials testing. Their recent addition of additive manufacturing and computational methods means they can now contribute from alloy design through to component fabrication.

Highlights from their portfolio

• COMPASsCO2
  Their longest-running project (2020–2025) targeting supercritical CO2 power plants — a next-generation energy technology requiring entirely new material solutions for extreme operating conditions.
• ALION
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 710,851) and an unusual departure into electrochemical storage, showing range beyond their core corrosion/materials work.
• topAM
  Represents DFI's strategic pivot into additive manufacturing combined with computational materials science — signals their future direction.