The safe disposal of radioactive waste and its final storage in a deep geological repository is one of the major challenges of our time and an essential component of Germany’s energy transition. The associated research is multidisciplinary—while IFN-2 research focuses primarily on nuclear aspects, it investigates the behavior of radionuclides and relevant waste materials by combining aspects of radiochemistry, geochemistry, and materials chemistry and integrating experiments and simulations. The research covers the entire chain from waste generation to waste disposal, including research to support the long-term safety of deep geological disposal, research on unresolved issues prior to waste disposal—such as pretreatment—and research on international safeguards. IFN-2 operates radiochemical laboratories and is closely linked to the Ernst Ruska Center (ER-C), the Helmholtz Nanofacility (HNF), the Jülich Supercomputer Center (JSC), and the Institute of Technology and Engineering (ITE).
Research at IFN-2 contributes to the Helmholtz program “Nuclear Waste Management, Safety, and Radiation Research” (NUSAFE) and focuses on topics related to the safe disposal of nuclear waste and international safeguards.
Thanks to its strong connections within the scientific community, research at IFN-2 influences international projects with scientific and key industrial partners, such as waste management organizations and technical support organizations, as well as neighboring universities.
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Last Modified: 12.05.2026