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Welcome to "4f for Future"
Welcome to the website of the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1573 "4f for Future". CRC 1573 is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and has officially been launched on January 1st, 2023, cf. press releases from DFG and KIT. It is coordinated by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), its current partners are Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU, since 10/2023), the University of Tübingen (UTÜ) and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU, since 08/2024).
Materials based on rare-earth metals and their compounds are of crucial importance to our modern high-tech society. Surprisingly, the molecular chemistry of these elements is poorly developed. However, recent progress in this area has shown that this is going to change: In the past years, dynamic developments in the chemistry and physics of molecular rare earth compounds have shifted borders and paradigms that existed for decades.
The chemistry of molecular and nanoscaled rare-earth compounds and their physical properties are in the focus of our CRC “4f for Future”. Its researchers study synthesis paths and physical properties of new molecular and nanoscaled rare-earth compounds in order to develop materials with unprecedented optical and magnetic properties.
Find out more about the individual research projects here.
Conference Announcement
Further information
Congratulations to our IRTG manager Dr. Christian Ritschel, recipient of this year’s H.C. Starck PhD Award.
In his doctoral research at KIT he developed nanoparticles that combine different anti-cancer agents and deliver them in particularly high concentrations. This breakthrough could one day help target tumors more precisely while reducing the side effects of chemotherapy. The particles are already being tested at the TUM Klinikum Rechts der Isar (Munich).
The H.C. Starck PhD Prize, first established in 1995, is awarded every two years within the Division of Solid State Chemistry & Materials Research of the German Chemical Society (GDCh).
more info (in German)
In a recent ChemistryViews online article our "4f for Future" project leaders Tonya Vitova, Stefanie Dehnen, and Wim Klopper (all KIT) discuss their new study (conducted in the framework of our CRC) revealing covalent La–Bi interactions within an electron-rich In/Bi cluster, challenging traditional views of lanthanide bonding.
The actual paper published in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. can be found here, the interview providing insights into the joint scientific work.is available here.
Our CRC co-spokesperson Prof. Dr. Stefanie Dehnen (KIT) received the Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering award by the IUPAC. This award is presented every two years to selected female laureates who have made outstanding achievements in basic or applied research, in teaching or training, or in proven leadership or management achievements in the chemical sciences.
Prof. Dehnen received the award from IUPAC President Ehud Keinan (see photo) at the IUPAC World Chemistry Congress in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) in July 2025.
On the occasion of the KIT Open Day on May 17, 2025, a science festival for the public took place for the first time simultaneously with the Campus Day, during which prospective students could obtain information about studying at KIT. Against the backdrop of this year's 200-year jubilee activities, the KIT Open Day was very well attended, offering numerous interactive activities, experiments, lectures and guided tours, thus making scientific research research a great experience for visitors.
"4f for Future" was actively represented by project leaders Prof. Tonya Vitova and Dr. Bianca Schacherl. They performed a variety of exciting experiments, integrated in the presentations of KIT Centers MaTeLis and HealthTech, addressing both "large" and "small" kids by, e.g., making the invisible visible or simulating scattering experiments. More info can be found on the poster.
On May 14, 2025, the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) held an event on Rare Earth Elements (REEs), a topic of growing strategic importance for Europe, in Brussels. The event included sessions at the European Parliament and at the EuChemS office, bringing together scientists, policy makers, and industry experts to address REE availability, criticality, and sustainability.
Our "4f for Future" speaker Prof. Peter W. Roesky had the honour of acting as scientific chair, the list of speakers included project leader Prof. Mario Ruben. A brief summary of the meeting can be found online, a link to a recording will soon be hosted there, too.
Congratulations to "4f for Future" speaker Prof. Peter W. Roesky who was elected a member of the renowned Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher (German National Academy of Sciences) Leopoldina (Halle).
Founded in 1652, this Academy scientifically reviews and addresses key issues of prospective significance for society. It is not only considered to be the oldest continuously existing academy of natural sciences and medicine worldwide, but as a supranational association of scientists with 1,700 members from more than 30 countries, Leopoldina is the largest among German science academies.
As part of the CRC's activities, "4f for Future" supported the "Jugend forscht" project of Malte Willmann (Justus-Knecht-Gymnasium, Bruchsal, together with the Jugendforschungszentrum (center for young researchers) Schwarzwald-Schönbuch) by performing measurements on a single-crystal X-ray diffractometer at KIT's AOC.
With more than 10,000 participants annually, "Jugend forscht" (literal translation: “Youth researches”) is a German youth science competition and the biggest of its kind in Europe. Mr. Willmann won the first prize (chemistry) in the Baden-Württemberg state competition this year with his project on jasmine scent against fungal diseases.
Pia Heinrichs and Sophie Gutenthaler-Tietze, from the research group of Prof. Lena Daumann (HHU Düsseldorf), have recently launched an inspiring science communication initiative: “Meet a Scientist”.
As part of the project, funded by the Bürgeruniversität Düsseldorf, the two early-career researchers visit schools to share their personal journeys into science and talk about their exciting research on lanthanide-utilizing bacteria. Their goal is to spark curiosity, inspire the next generation of scientists, and make science more relatable and accessible.
Want to learn more? Visit their website: https://www.bioac.hhu.de/meet-a-scientist.
If you're a teacher and would like to invite them to speak to your class, don't hesitate to get in touch: meetascientist@hhu.de.
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Hinweis
Der Sonderforschungsbereich SFB 1573 "4f for Future" befasst sich mit der Chemie molekularer und nanoskaliger Verbindungen der Seltenen Erden sowie ihren physikalischen Eigenschaften.
Diese Webseite ist nur in englischer Sprache verfügbar. Für deutschsprachige Informationen wenden Sie sich bitte an webmaster∂sfb1573.kit.edu.