Institute of Physics of Materials, Czech Academy of Sciences, v. v. i.

The Institute of Physics of Materials is one of research institutes of the Czech Academy of Sciences. It was established in 1955. Generally, the research at the IPM is concerned with the relations between behavior, properties, and structure of materials. It is primarily focused on advanced metallic materials and composites with a metal base and on non-metallic materials like plastics or ceramics. The institute consists of two main scientific departments. The Department of Mechanical Properties is focused on the research of the physical nature of processes taking place in materials during creep, fatigue, their interaction, and brittle fracture. These processes are studied with respect to the microstructure and its changes during the action of external forces. A wide range of advanced, metallic and non-metallic materials and composites. Attention is also paid to materials produced by additive technologies or advanced materials used in civil engineering. The Department of Experimental Studies and Modelling of Structure deals with theoretical multi-scale modelling of material properties and behavior under different kinds of loading. The experimental validation of these properties is carried out using the latest electron microscopy techniques. Thermodynamic, diffusion, electrical and magnetic properties of materials and their relationship to structure are also studied. The research is also focused on new nanomaterials or the preparation of high-quality samples for microscopic studies or calibration of state-of-the-art microscopes. The IPM cooperates with a number of universities and research organizations both in Czech Republic and abroad. Intensive cooperation with industrial partners is going on via applied research projects or economic agreements.