Florian Pixner, researcher in the field of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing at the LKR Leichtmetallkompetenzzentrum Ranshofen of the AIT, and Lukas Neidhart, expert for battery technologies at the AIT, have recently successfully completed their PhD studies. We congratulate them warmly!
Florian Pixner completed his doctoral studies in mechanical engineering at Graz University of Technology with distinction. His dissertation is entitled “On the Application of Wire-Based Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace Industry” and dealt with the suitability and application of wire-based additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry. Pixner investigated both the restoration of forged structures from hot-work tool steels and the production of forging preforms from nickel-based alloys for aerospace components.
One focus of his work was the development of heat- and wear-resistant materials that, in combination with additive manufacturing, enable faster and high-quality restoration of tools. He was also able to successfully demonstrate how homogeneous microstructural and mechanical properties can be achieved through targeted process design and optimized heat management. The materials developed are now a key component of the industrial cooperation partner's product portfolio and demonstrate the high technological and economic relevance of its research.
Lukas Neidhart completed his doctorate in process engineering at the Vienna University of Technology, also with distinction. In his dissertation entitled “Manufacturing of High-Loading Aqueous Cathodes for Li-Ion Batteries”, he devoted himself to the development of high-performance and sustainable batteries. His focus was on the production of thick electrodes with high active material loadings in order to increase the energy density of batteries.
A central aspect of his work was the switch to water-based manufacturing processes that completely replace the use of toxic solvents. Neidhart developed an innovative multilayer coating process with which he succeeded in producing defect-free and thick cathode layers. These are characterized by a high energy density, improved mechanical stability and increased electrochemical performance, especially under high loads. His results contribute significantly to the further development of sustainable and efficient battery technologies.
We are delighted with this great success and wish Florian Pixner and Lukas Neidhart all the best for their future scientific careers!