The faculty of Natural Sciences pursues a great experimental research program in material sciences. It strives to maintain and further develop its national and international well known profile in bio/nano- and energy-related materials. The research activities include synthesis, analytic, functionalisation, application and theory of (nano-structured) materials and are embedded in the interdisciplinary research fields of the university. Materials to be used in electrochemical systems such as batteries, fuel cells, as catalysts or as electrolytes, materials for photocatalysis and materials for bio-medical applications are of particular interest.

The synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials based on metal oxides or on carbon is of great importance in order to increase the performance of energy storage systems. Whereas inorganic materials based on Ruthenium complexes could be used as active components in dye solar cells.

In the institute of organic chemistry II and new materials researchers synthesize, develop and optimize new organic semiconductors and dye stuffs based on thiophenes. In cooperation with external universities, institutes and companies they are built into organic solar cells as active components. These synthesized products have already reached an efficiency greater than 8%. As a result of a cooperation with the TU Dresden the company Heliatek GmbH (Dresden/Ulm) has been founded in summer 2006. Both univerisites are shareholders. The goal is to produce large organic solar cells with printing techniques.

Polymer nanomaterials and also biohybrid macromolecules are synthesized, analyzed and further developed that might be of crucial interest for bio-medical therapeutical use.