From Recycling to Implants: Award for Outstanding Theses

In his master’s thesis on the anodizing behavior of cast aluminum alloys, written as part of his degree program in Electrochemistry and Electroplating, Andreas Winter addressed a key question regarding sustainable material use: How can recycled aluminum be treated to achieve the same high-quality surface properties as newly produced material?

To this end, the scholarship recipient from the Central Association for Surface Technology (ZVO), in collaboration with Jönköping University in Sweden, investigated the influence of iron impurities which occur particularly in recycled alloys and can impair the formation of protective surface layers. “In doing so, Andreas Winter made a first-rate contribution to the resource efficiency of this important class of materials,” said Prof. Jochen Seitz in his laudatory speech.

Since February 2026, Andreas Winter has been a research assistant in the Electrochemistry and Electroplating Group at TU Ilmenau headed by Prof. Andreas Bund, who also advised his master’s thesis. In this position he is working on electrochemical processes for the manufacture of high-temperature electrolysers, which are needed to produce green hydrogen.

High motivation and exceptional dedication

The association also honored Pia Wild for her outstanding achievements in the Master’s program in Materials Science. In her master’s thesis in the Group for Metallic and Composite Materials under the supervision of PD Dr. Lange, she studied molybdenum, a biodegradable metal that shows great potential for medical technology.

To gain insights into the characteristics of molybdenum in so-called osteosynthesis implants, which are inserted into the body to treat bone fractures, she analyzed the influence of various processing methods on the material’s mechanical properties and degradation behavior. The goal was to determine how the implants can be degraded in the body as effectively as possible after the fracture has healed, so that they do not need to be surgically removed. “Using long-term tests in simulated body fluid and numerical simulations, Ms. Wild was able to draw conclusions about the degradation behavior of such implants. Throughout her entire time as a student, she stood out for her high level of motivation, her dedication, and her ambition,” said Prof. Seitz in his laudatory speech.

Scientific questions linked to practical applications

The third award went to Danilo Hopf who was honored for his thesis in the Electrical Engineering and Information Technology program. In the Power Electronics and Control Group, under the supervision of Prof. Albrecht Gensior, he focused on the electromagnetic and electromechanical characterization of an electric machine.

“This is a metrologically challenging task that lies at the intersection of power electronics and electrical machines,” explains Prof. Jochen Seitz:

Mr. Hopf succeeded in developing a measurement method for a fully automated process to record the machine’s characteristic curves in a reproducible manner. In doing so, he not only solved the problem in an outstanding manner but, above all, made an important contribution to research in this field through the evaluation methodology he developed.

The method developed by Danilo Hopf in the context of the research group "Software-Specified Autonomous Networks" (SOFIE) and the results of his research have been accepted as a paper at the Energy Conversion Congress & Expo 2026 (ECCE 2026), which will take place from 14 to 18, 2026, in Valencia, Spain.

With these awards, the Ilmenau Association for Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (Förderverein Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik e. V.) recognizes not only outstanding academic achievements but also the commitment of young scientists who, with their ideas and research, are helping to shape the technologies of tomorrow, according to Prof. Seitz:

The award-winning projects clearly demonstrate how our students combine scientific questions with practical relevance. In doing so, they contribute to a sustainable, technologically advanced, and future-oriented society.