Institute

Institute of Interfaces and Particle Technology (IPT)

The Institute of Interfaces and Particle Technology is part of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBI) within the Faculty of Engineering at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU).

Research at the Institute of Interfaces and Particle Technology broadly focusses on the development of particle systems along the entire process chain – from tailored polymer and particle syntheses, via surface modification and functionalization, to the development self-assembled structures and the exploration of functional, macroscopic materials properties based on these systems.

Of central importance is the detailed characterization of particles, surfaces and interfaces in all facets – from multidimensional size and shape analyses, via the physicochemical properties of ligand-spheres and surfaces and microscopy methods to investigate surface topographies and structural features across the scales – to resulting macroscopic properties. This broad portfolio of characterization methods has been institutionalized as a core facility FPS  and is available to interested external researchers and companies.

The Institute of Interfaces and Particle Technology currently hosts four research groups that cover a wide range of interdisciplinary research topics.

Originally founded in 1968 by Prof. Otto Molerus as the Institute of “Mechanische Verfahrenstechnik”, it was renamed in 2003 to “Lehrstuhl für Feststoff- und Grenzflächenverfahrenstechnik (LFG)” under Prof. Wolfgang Peukert. Since 2024, it is headed by Prof. Nicolas Vogel under the name of “Institute of Interfaces and Particle Technology (IPT)”.