Research Project SAPHIR

Next Level Hightech Ceramics

The goal of the SAPHIR alliance - advanced ceramics from the TRIDELTA CAMPUS - is the substantial further development of the material and manufacturing know-how of advanced ceramics with decisive contributions to the energy transition, electromobility, climate protection, health and digitalisation. This will make the Hermsdorf region the leading centre for advanced ceramics in Europe by 2027.

The Saphir Alliance is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and is one of the Regional Entrepreneurial Alliances for Innovation (RUBIN for short) of the Innovation & Structural Change programme. A common basis for innovation creates the foundation for achieving the alliance's goals.

Development Aims

In three collaborative projects, new materials of oxide ceramics, electroceramics and magnetic ceramics are being developed, whose properties clearly surpass the state of the art. New synthesis and doping strategies are being developed for this purpose and experience is being exchanged between the three collaborative projects. In collaborative project 4, procedures and methods are being developed that are to be used across the board in the collaborative materials projects and all ceramics companies in general.

Joint projects of the Alliance

Oxide Ceramics

Magnetic Ceramics

Electro Ceramics

Processing

News on Saphir

Those involved in the projects are invited twice a year to the alliance meeting to exchange ideas. At the annual public event, the alliance partners provide information on project progress and material developments. In 2023, the Alliance will make its first public appearance at the DKG Annual Conference. The steering committee, consisting of the coordinators of the collaborative projects, discusses the progress of the collaborative projects on a monthly basis. TRIDELTA CAMPUS supports the alliance organiser LCP Laser-Cut-Processing GmbH with regard to event organisation, marketing and communication.

Interview on the 98th DKG Annual Meeting in Jena and Hermsdorf (Download) PDF • 4.2 MiB

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SAPHIR contributions at the 98th DKG Annual Meeting (Download) PDF • 70.3 KiB

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Project phases and Duration

As early as December 2019, the partners began initial discussions and prepared the concept phase. The outline was submitted by 31st January 2020 and convinced the funding body, so that the alliance was asked to prepare an overall project description for the subsequent concept phase. The innovation concept was submitted in March 2021 and subsequently defended. On 1st August 2022, the Alliance entered the funding phase and began work on research and development. The funding phase ends on 31st July 2025, after which the product developments will be implemented.

The Alliance and its Partners

19 partners from industry and research are working on substantial further developments of material and manufacturing know-how for a new level in advanced ceramics. The results set new standards and opportunities for technical ceramics and their application areas of health, digitalisation, electromobility, energy transition and climate protection.

The SAPHIR alliance has the materials science and process engineering know-how to break new ground in sub-steps of ceramics technology and to develop qualitatively new advanced ceramics. This concerns solid-state chemistry, methods of additive manufacturing, special furnace construction, laser processing and methods of automation and process control. This knowledge, which goes beyond traditional ceramics production, is uniquely bundled here in the region.

The alliance is coordinated by LCP Laser-Cut-Processing GmbH. The TRIDELTA CAMPUS is in charge of organising the alliance.

Our Contribution to Society

The focus of the SAPHIR research project is the further development of advanced ceramics in the Hermsdorf region. With its development work, SAPHIR takes into account the changing medical requirements through Covid and the demographic change. In addition, the SAPHIR companies support the energy transition with products for green mobility and energy generation.
Through its technical endeavours, SAPHIR also aims to improve people's lives in the long term. The ceramics companies need a number of supplier and service companies that benefit directly from the upswing of the ceramics manufacturers. This creates a strong economic core that spills over to the system suppliers and users. This is one of the measures that will have a positive impact on the employment and life prospects of the people in the region.

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Success Stories

DKG Annual Meeting in Hermsdorf and Jena

TRIDELTA Campus / • 17.03.2023

At CERAMICS 2023, the 98th DKG Annual Conference, we welcome trade visitors from all over Europe from 27th to 30th March 2023 in Jena and at the high-tech location Hermsdorf.

International growth
Research and development
SAPHIR

12.7 million euros funding for the SAPHIR alliance

TRIDELTA Campus / Hendrik Bengs • 18.11.2022

TRIDELTA CAMPUS Hermsdorf e.V. receives notification from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research that its innovation concept "SAPHIR" has been selected, for which the alliance has applied for funding of 12.7 million euros. With the 19 project members' own contribution, the total funding volume amounts to 17.8 million euros. The funding flows into the research and development of the companies in order to advance the development of materials on the one hand and of products and applications in technical ceramics on the other. The funding plays a significant role in the structural development of Hermsdorf and the entire region of Eastern Thuringia.