INT, KIT

October 14, 2025

Water is everywhere – it covers the major part of Earth, circulates in the human body, and is found even in the smallest molecular clefts. However, what happens if water cannot flow freely, but is enclosed in such structures? Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Constructor University in Bremen proved for the first time that enclosed water can influence its surroundings and favors binding between molecules. This discovery could open new paths for the design of drugs and new materials. The researchers report on their findings in the International Edition of the “Angewandte Chemie” journal. (DOI: 10.1002/anie.202505713)

Andreas Rentz/2025 Getty Images

September 19, 2025

At an awards ceremony held on September 18, 2025 in Düsseldorf, Dr. Jingyuan Xu from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) was honored with the “For Women in Science” sponsorship award in recognition of her pioneering research into environmentally friendly cooling technologies. Together with three other female scientists from Germany, she received the EUR 25,000 award, which is offered by L’Oréal, the German Commission for UNESCO, and the German Humboldt Network. Since its launch in 1998, the programme’s goal has been to raise the visibility of excellent women in science worldwide.

“This award acknowledges Dr. Xu’s outstanding scientific achievements and her vision for society. With her focus on cooling technologies, she has dedicated her research to a matter that is taken for granted, but has a high societal, economic, and ecologic relevance”, says Professor Dr. Oliver Kraft, KIT’s Vice President Academic Affairs. “The ‘For Women in Science’ award shows how significant the contribution of female scientists to research and technological development is on a worldwide level.”

Lena Pilz, KIT

June 06, 2025

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are characterized by high porosity and structural versatility. They have enormous potential, for example for applications in electronics. However, their low electrical conductivity has so far greatly restricted their adoption. Using AI and robot-assisted synthesis in a self-driving laboratory, researchers from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), together with colleagues in Germany and Brazil, have now succeeded in producing an MOF thin film that conducts electricity like metals. This opens up new possibilities in electronics and energy storage – from sensors and quantum materials to functional materials. The team reports in the Materials Horizons journal. (DOI: 10.1039/d5mh00813a)