Materials technology at IFE has for many years focused on structural materials due to the importance of the metallurgical and oil and gas industry. Materials technology at IFE includes a wide variety of disciplines including functional materials, soft materials, light metals and advanced construction utilizing materials such as concrete, steel and aluminium. IFEs research groups cover all these areas.

The JEEP II reactor at Kjeller is central to IFE’s research activities. JEEP II provides a stable access to neutrons, which is becoming increasingly important in advanced materials research and nanotechnology. The reactor is today considered a unique, world class research tool, and it constitutes the basis for IFE’s leading international position in hydrogen storage research. Several large companies employ the JEEP II reactor in material irradiation.

Scandinavia’s first nanoreactor was opened at IFE in 2003. The company n-Tec AS produces nanocarbone pipes, and collaborates closely with IFE. These pipes are made of the strongest material known today, ten times stronger than steel, and just one tenth of the weight. Using the Jeep II reactor at Kjeller, IFE is capable of examining and obtaining a better understanding of the nanomaterials’ characteristics. The basic scientific research in this area is important for ia. development of new hydrogen storage media.