Institute for Energy and Enviromental Technology

Reducing particle size by three orders of magnitude opens up the research field of nanotechnology. The activities of IUTA reflect the current debate on the opportunities and risks presented by nanotechnology. In 2008 and 2009, the only pilot plant of its kind in the world for the production of engineered nanoparticles on the kg/day scale was set up and commissioned in close collaboration with the Institute of Combustion and Gas Dynamics (Prof. Christof Schulz) at the University of Duisburg-Essen and Evonik AG. IUTA is represented on almost all major national and European committees and networks concerning the sustainability and environmental relevance of nanoparticles. IUTA members are also playing a - in some cases leading - role in related BMBF and EU projects, including NanoCare, Nanodevice, NanoNature and InnoCNT. Prof. Heinz Fissan, Emeritus Professor of the University of Duisburg-Essen and an eminent aerosol specialist, and Dr. Thomas Kuhlbusch, Head of Air Quality & Sustainable Nanotechnology at IUTA, are involved in the development of new instrumentation, investigation of the effect of leaks in nanoparticle process equipment, and dispersion modelling of nanoparticles at the workplace and in the environment. IUTA works in close cooperation with the University of Minnesota (Prof. David Pui) in this context, which is reflected in joint NSF-DFG projects.