Shaping the Future of Green Chemistry

The chemical industry is pursuing the ambitious goal of converting production processes to processes that use renewable raw materials and sustainable energies. With the flagship project “Shaping the Future of Green Chemistry by Process Intensification and Digitalization” (ShaPID), Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is supporting the industry’s transformation to sustainable and environmentally friendly production – so-called green chemistry. Based on the internationally recognized “12 Principles of Green Chemistry,” new methods and technologies are being developed and demonstrated on a technical scale. The Fraunhofer flagship project began in January 2021 and ends in June 2024.

Partner institutes

Fraunhofer IAP, Fraunhofer ICT, Fraunhofer IFF, Fraunhofer IGB, Fraunhofer IMM, Fraunhofer IME, Fraunhofer, ISC, Fraunhofer ITWM, Fraunhofer UMSICHT

In the “Green Plastics” sub-project, a research team is developing the entire process chain used to produce sustainable polymers. Several institutes are working together under the leadership of Fraunhofer IAP. The experts from Fraunhofer IAP are lending their expertise to the project in the fields of polymer synthesis, process development and synthesis scale-up. The aim is to develop an energy-optimized process for the continuous polycondensation of 100 percent sustainable polyamides.

“We show how the synergy between green catalysis and smart process technology works. It is a powerful tool for driving forward the transformation to a sustainable chemical industry.”

Dr. Ulrich Wendler, Coordinator of the “Green Plastics” project and Head of “Synthesis and Product Development” at the Fraunhofer Pilot Plant Center for Polymer Synthesis and Processing PAZ, a research division of Fraunhofer IAP

Using CO₂ and biogenic raw material sources to create new polymers

Diamines and dicarboxylic acids are often the chemical building blocks of polyamides. As part of the “Green Plastics” project, scientists are using microbial and enzymatic processes to obtain diamines. Scaling up these biotechnological processes is a core aim of “Green Plastics”. The researchers have developed a range of new approaches and technologies for this purpose. The starting point of the value chain is formate. It is produced from carbon dioxide and sustainable electricity using a newly developed, efficient electrolysis cell. The formate is the food source of a microbial strain that produces lysine by fermentation. This strain is also a new development. Enzymes then convert the lysine into a diamine. After purification using a newly developed technology, the diamine is ready for use in polycondensation. For the material development of the new polymers, the experts from the Biopolymers Research Division at Fraunhofer IAP used bio-based dicarboxylic acids as co-components. This made it possible to produce 100 percent sustainable polyamides with new thermal, mechanical and optical properties.