The Freiburg material scientist Dr. Frederik Kotz was handed the German Students Award from the Körber-Stiftung for a newly developed process for producing glass in an energy-saving manner. Kotz developed the technique for his dissertation entitled “Development of new materials for rapid prototyping and additive production of glass and polymethyl methacrylate.” The award is endowed with 25,000 euros. In addition to scientific excellence, the jury also considers the specific social significance of the research. The new technology has the potential to make glass more durable, stronger and more functional – even smarter – in the future.

The process allows glass to be formed at room temperature as easily as plastic. Kotz uses a mixture of tiny glass particles and polymers, which is filled into any casting molds and hardened there. The solid material then enters the furnace and is "sintered" at temperatures between 1,100 and 1,300 degrees Celsius. The polymers are removed from the glass particles through a heating process. What remains is a new high-tech glass whose properties do not differ from those of conventional glass. The material can even be shaped using 3D printing.

Frederik Kotz, whose dissertation was written at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, has been working at the Department of Microsystems Engineering at the University of Freiburg since 2018. He is co-founder of Glassomer GmbH, which distributes the developed material.