Peter Gumbsch

Peter Gumbsch is a Professor at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), leading the Research Unit on Mechanics of Nanoscale Materials. His work bridges theoretical and experimental approaches to design and characterize mechanical metamaterials, focusing on programmable and chiral materials, as well as 3D-printed microlattices and biomimetic structures.

His research integrates advanced techniques such as lab-based nanoCT for non-destructive structural analysis and in situ mechanical testing. As part of the Cluster of Excellence 3DMM2O, he collaborates on optimizing metamaterials through analytical mechanics, numerical simulations, and high-resolution imaging. Projects include defect analysis in tetrahedral microlattices and fracture evolution studies in diatoms.

The group employs nanoCT to visualize 3D materials at 50 nm resolution, enabling time-lapse mechanical testing under compression, indentation, and thermal stress (up to 500°C). Applications span polymers, nanocomposites, and electrode materials, emphasizing structural quantification and defect-driven deformation mechanisms.