Practical trainings, student assistants and theses

Rare earth elements (REEs) are vital to numerous industrial applications. The studies on REEs recovery from various secondary resources revealed that spent permanent magnets contain a significant amount (approximately 31-32 wt%) of rare earth metals. However, the presence of Fe and other metals poses a challenge for recovering REE from the leachate solution. It was observed that the REE will also co-precipitate with Fe upon precipitation, resulting in the loss of resources. To address this, an extraction chromatography method has been proposed for the selective recovery of REE from leachate solutions. Our latest research reveals that selective ligands based on different media can recover REE from aqueous solutions even in the presence of other metals.
The master's thesis aims to develop novel diglycolamide-phosphoric acid combined impregnated resins with different compositions for the selective recovery of the REE from the spent magnet leachates. The prepared impregnated resins will be optimised with different experimental parameters to assess the best possible recovery of REEs. Furthermore, the studies will be examined through various spectroscopic and analytical investigations to understand the insights into the extraction/sorption behaviour. The application to real magnet leachates would be tested.

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or related field
• Knowledge of ion or extraction chromatography, and impregnation of inert carrier resins
• Knowledge of analytical techniques such as FTIR, SEM, AFM, XRD, etc
• Duration: 6 months
• Start Date: Starting in June 2026 is possible
• Work location : Freiberg

• Conduct literature research on extraction chromatography on resins, impregnation with various ligands, and their applications in metal recovery
• The characterization and understanding of the insights of impregnation behaviour using various techniques, XRD, FTIR, Raman, XPS, etc
• Design and conduct laboratory experiments under several parameters such as contact time, acid concentration, sorption models, etc
• Optimize experimental conditions for recovery of REE from magnet leachates
• Prepare a thesis report and present findings at conferences or workshops

Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) are essential components for many everyday applications and devices, such as displays, smart windows, area lighting, flexible electronics, and solar modules. The most commonly used TCO is tin-doped indium oxide (ITO). In order to reduce the demand for the critical raw material indium, zinc oxide-based TCOs often represent a good alternative. However, ZnO is not suitable for applications involving high temperatures or aggressive environments. Tin oxide, SnO2, which exhibits the best thermal and chemical stability among known TCOs, offers a better alternative for applications in concentrated solar power, perovskite solar cells, and as electrodes in high-power electronics.
The most important functional properties of TCOs are high transparency in the visible wavelength range and high electrical conductivity. Both are strongly dependent on point and structural defects in the materials. Interestingly, these defects in SnO₂ are still not sufficiently characterized and understood, and are therefore the subject of ongoing scientific research. To improve the knowledge base of tin oxide-based TCOs, Bachelor's, Master's, or Diploma thesis topics are - among others - offered on the following sub-aspects:
1.) Identification of point defects of undoped Sn oxide thin films and correlation with the electrical properties
2.) Optimization of the electrical and optical properties of doped Sn oxide thin films
3.) Correlation of growth conditions and structural properties of tin oxide thin films
State-of-the-art in-situ and ex-situ methods such as magnetron sputtering, ellipsometry, UV-vis-NIR-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction will be employed.

• University enrollment in physics, chemistry, or materials science and good grades or better
• Interest, enthusiasm and ability for scientific work
• Basic programming skills and proficiency in using office and scientific software
• Fluent English language skills

• Payment includes the standard expense allowance

This Master thesis focuses on the development and characterization of random peptide libraries for application in phage surface display. The aim is to explore new strategies for generating and analyzing functional peptide sequences. The project includes the design and molecular construction of peptide libraries as well as their experimental evaluation in terms of diversity and basic functional properties. Initial studies on the interaction of selected peptides with target structures will also be performed. The work combines molecular biology and combinatorial biotechnology and provides insight into the development of innovative biomolecular systems.

• Enrolled in a Master’s program at a university, preferably with a focus on molecular biology or a related field
• Practical experience in molecular biology techniques (e.g., cloning, transformation, PCR, sequencing techniques)
• Familiarity with genetic engineering safety regulations
• Basic knowledge of bioinformatic analysis of sequencing data
• Initial experience in in silico peptide modeling is desirable

• Work within an international team (laboratory language is English)
• Supervision is provided within an interdisciplinary junior research group
• Laboratory work is permitted on weekdays only, between 07:00 and 17:00
• Workplace is the Dresden-Rossendorf campus
• A customary expense allowance will be provided
• Start from June 2026, minimum duration: 5 month

1D- und 2D-Ramanspektroskopische Meßreihen oder auch Maps liefern detaillierte ortsaufgelöste chemische Informationen über die untersuchten Proben. Damit kann z. B. die Komponentenverteilung in Stoffgemischen quantitativ bestimmt oder die Homogenität einphasiger Proben gezeigt werden. Andererseits lassen sich lokale Strukturveränderungen, Spannungszustände, Stapelfolgenänderungen in 2D-Materialien und Punktdefekte charakterisieren. Voraussetzung dabei ist eine möglichst engmaschige Datenerfassung bis hin zur Auflösungsgrenze der verwendeten Laserstrahlung sowie eine große Anzahl an Messpunkten. Mit modernen Spektrometern sind Messzeiten im Sekundenbereich gut realisierbar. Die Umsetzung der spektroskopischen in eine chemische Information erfordert dann die Extraktion von Parametern wie Schwingungsfrequenz, Intensität und Linienbreite durch Spektrenanpassung. Die Gerätesoftware bietet dafür nur eingeschränkte Möglichkeiten.
Im Rahmen einer Graduierungsarbeit soll in Zusammenarbeit mit dem HZDR-Rechenzentrum ein Auswertealgorithmus für die automatisierte Auswertung von 1D- und 2D-Ramanspektroskopischen Meßreihen entwickelt, an Beispielen getestet und dokumentiert werden.

1. Studium der Werkstoffwissenschaften, Physik oder Chemie
2. Interesse, Freude und Befähigung für wissenschaftliche Arbeit
3. Grundkenntnisse in Programmierung und sicherer Umgang mit Büro- und wissenschaftlicher Software
4. Sehr gute Englisch-Kenntnisse

Die Arbeit ist in die umfangreichen Aktivitäten der Abteilung Nanoelektronik (FWIO) zu 2D-Werkstoffen eingebettet. Sie kann jederzeit aufgenommen werden.

Wir beschäftigen uns mit der Entwicklung von PET-Radiotracern, die Rezeptoren im Tumormikromilieu (TME = tumor microenvironment) für die Diagnostik und Therapie von Krebs sichtbar machen. Dazu werden geeignete tumoraffine Leitstrukturen identifiziert (niedermolekulare organische Moleküle, Peptide und Peptidomimetika), synthetisiert und mit einem geeigneten Radionuklid kovalent (z. B. Fluor-18, Iod-123) oder über einen Chelator (z. B. Gallium-68, Lutetium-177) markiert. Diese Radioliganden werden in vitro an Tumorzelllinien und in vivo im Tiermodell hinsichtlich einer Anwendung in der Nuklearmedizin getestet. Langfristiges Ziel ist die Translation der entwickelten Radiotracer in die Klinik als Diagnosewerkzeug (PET/CT) oder nach Markierung mit einem Beta- oder Alphastrahler für die Endoradiotherapie von Tumorerkrankungen.
Im Rahmen eines Studentenpraktikums oder einer Bachelor- oder Masterarbeit sollen organische Wirkstoffmoleküle synthetisiert und für eine anschließende radiochemische Markierung modifiziert werden. Die neuen Radioliganden werden dann biologisch in vitro und in vivo untersucht.

• Studium der Chemie
• Gute Noten in organischer Synthesechemie
• Fähigkeit sich in ein interdisziplinäres Wissenschaftler-Team einzugliedern
• Bereitschaft zum Umgang mit Radioaktivität
• Gute Kenntnisse der deutschen und englischen Sprache

• Beginn nach Absprache jederzeit möglich
• Praktikumsdauer mind. 4 Wochen, mit möglichst täglicher Anwesenheit

Tower power plants represent the latest generation of solar thermal power generation systems (see figure). Large-area mirror arrays concentrate sunlight onto a central absorber, where it is converted into thermal energy, which is then transferred to a heat transfer medium. Compared to photovoltaics, solar thermal energy has the inherent advantage of energy storage capacity and availability on demand. The challenge for further increasing the efficiency of solar power plants lies in developing materials with temperature stability up to 800 °C in air. Within the framework of graduate theses and research projects, thermally stable coatings for the core components of solar tower power plants will be developed and tested. State-of-the-art in-situ and ex-situ methods such as magnetron sputtering, ellipsometry, UV-vis-NIR-FTIR retroreflector, and Raman spectroscopy will be employed.
The following tasks are offered in this area:
i) Design and optical simulation of solar-selective coating stacks for solar power plants
ii) Deposition, optimization, and characterization of the structural, optical and electrical properties of individual components and whole coating stacks for solar power plants
iii) Ex situ and in situ investigations of the thermal stability of individual components and entire coating stacks for solar power plants
Other topics can be discussed individually.

1. University program in physics, chemistry, or materials science with good grades or better
2. Interest, enthusiasm, and ability for scientific work
3. Basic programming skills and proficiency in using office and scientific software
4. Fluent English language skills

This work is carried out in collaboration with national and international partners, payment includes the standard expense allowance