On February 10, 2026, Matthias Hauer, German Parliamentary State Secretary atthe Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space(BMFTR), formally handed over the funding approval for the InnoWaerm project, coordinated by theFraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILTwith technical support fromFraunhofer IMM. Backed with around €1.5 million through the BMFTR’s VIP+ validation program, the initiative aims to fast-track advanced scientific research into practical, commercially viable hydrogen technologies.
InnoWaerm focuses on developing titanium aluminide reactors and heat exchangers that are both lightweight and capable of withstanding high temperatures, designed specifically for mobile applications such as aircraft and heavy-duty trucks. The initiative encompasses traditional heat exchangers for efficient energy management as well as compact microreactors that generate hydrogen directly from liquid carriers like methanol or ammonia, supplying fuel for on-board propulsion.
“With the High-Tech Agenda Germany, we are setting clear research and economic policy impulses for Germany as a location for innovation. The goal is to systematically transfer scientific excellence into marketable technologies and societal applications,” said Matthias Hauer. “The BMFTR’s VIP+ validation funding program creates a reliable bridge between research and value creation – open to all topics and exploitation paths. The VIP+ funded project InnoWaerm demonstrates this impressively and will make an important contribution to competitive and sustainable mobility of the future with its innovative manufacturing process. I wish the project team the greatest possible success.”
Engineering Lightweight Reactors for Mobile Hydrogen
Over the 24-month project, Fraunhofer ILT and Fraunhofer IMM will integrate advanced materials engineering with expertise in hydrogen system technologies.
At the core of the research is titanium aluminide, an intermetallic alloy known for its low density, high temperature stability, and corrosion resistance. However, its brittleness has historically limited its manufacturability. To address this, ILT researchers further refined a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process, introducing a specialized preheating strategy to enable stable processing of the material.
“Titanium aluminide belongs to the intermetallic phases. It combines properties of metallic and ceramic materials. The unusual alloy is extremely lightweight, heat-resistant, but also brittle and difficult to process,” explained project lead Andreas Vogelpoth. “That’s why it was hardly usable for complex components until now. With our new preheating technique in the laser melting process, we can now change that. This makes it possible to produce microstructured reactors that are light enough for use in mobile applications, from aircraft to agricultural machinery.”
Aviation and Heavy Mobility in Focus
Aviation represents a primary application area for the project. In aircraft design, minimizing mass while meeting strict safety and performance requirements is critical. The InnoWaerm reactors are designed to generate hydrogen on board by converting liquid carriers such as methanol or ammonia. This approach reduces reliance on high-pressure gaseous hydrogen storage and could simplify integration within aircraft structures.
The technology is also suited to hybrid propulsion concepts that combine fuel cells with chemical energy carriers. Beyond aviation, the system could support decarbonization in heavy-duty transport and large agricultural machinery—segments where battery-electric solutions face limitations due to weight and energy density constraints.
Source: 3D Printing Industry
