2024 Annual Report

Due to the growing demand for environmentally friendly materials, it is becoming vital to develop sustainable polymer materials – including for film coatings.

The B-OxStar project developed a biocatalytic process for the production of reactive starches modified with aldehyde groups. The project focused on investigating polymer-analogous reactions for the further chemical functionalization of the modified starch. The entire process is carried out without the use of toxic chemicals and creates the basis for novel polymer structures.

In the BeBIO2 project, Fraunhofer IAP worked with partners from industry and research to investigate the use of bioplastics and biocomposites in durable products. The aim was to accelerate the implementation of a sustainable plastics economy and to improve the durability and suitability of these materials for long-lasting applications such as power tool casings, civil engineering products, and consumer goods.

As part of the project, Fraunhofer IAP developed and investigated high-performance biomaterials such as natural fiber-reinforced lignin-based epoxy resins, fully bio-based lignin/polyethylene composites, cellulose fiber-reinforced PHBV* composites, and other fiber-reinforced composites and polylactic acid/starch blends. Some of the materials were specifically modified and tested for durability under real-world conditions.

*PHBV = poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)

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BIOMAT was a highly innovative European project aimed at establishing an open innovation test bed (BIOMAT-TB). This test bed was designed to help a wide range of European industries and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) develop and apply innovations in the field of nano-based cellular materials more quickly and efficiently. The PYCO research division at Fraunhofer IAP acted as a technology transfer center within the project for the scale-up of innovative chemical and chemo-enzymatic recycling processes for new insulation materials and for the eco-design.
 

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Synthetic rubber is an important polymer material with global production amounting to around 14.2 million tons per year (2023). In the wake of climate change and the associated need to reduce CO₂ emissions, as well as rising energy costs, it is essential to develop new energy- and resource-saving production processes. The project focused on developing a continuous and solvent-free process to produce synthetic rubber, in which butadiene is polymerized in bulk under controlled conditions.

The IntAFo project developed a biodegradable agricultural film that reacts to changes in moisture. It is based on a protein-rich alfalfa extract that is combined with a biodegradable hydrogel. The film allows water to seep through when it rains and reduces evaporation during dry periods. A functional prototype has been successfully produced and tested. The film’s biodegradability was also tested, as it should be plowed under in the field after use. A digital concept for roll-to-roll production was also developed. The material development – both for the film and the hydrogel – was carried out by Fraunhofer IAP.

The project was part of the WIR! Alliance “Land-Innovation-Lausitz” (LIL) and funded by the alliance through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as part of the Change through Innovation in the Region (WIR!) program. Through this program, the BMBF aims to promote innovation and structural change in structurally weak regions across a range of topics.

The aim of the ReSpan project was to develop an innovative recycling process for various wood-based materials such as MDF, OSB, flat-pressed boards, and pallet blocks. All material components were recycled to a high standard. The targeted use of recycling reagents allowed the binding agent to be dissolved without damaging the wood fibers. As part of this process, a separation process was developed that efficiently separates different particle geometries, ingredients, coatings, and impurities.

The combination of material separation (e.g., foreign and impure substances as well as wood particles) and particle fractionation was transferred to a pre-industrial-scale process. This enabled the development of new wood chip and wood fiber materials with good mechanical properties that can be further processed using various manufacturing processes.
 

Companies and research institutions rooted in central Germany’s chemical triangle have joined forces to form a regional alliance called RUBIO.

The alliance covers the entire value chain of polybutylene succinate (PBS), a biobased and sustainable polymer – from biotechnology and industrial processing to recycling. The alliance project is helping to shape structural change in Central Germany, transforming the former lignite mining area into a region of renewable plastics!

The RUBIO consortium developed sustainable approaches for the production and use of PBS, thereby laying the foundation for its successful entry into the market. Key processing technologies for thermoplastics were brought together in an integrated network, including blow and flat film extrusion, injection molding, thermoforming, extrusion blow molding, and the production of fibers and filaments. As part of the project, Fraunhofer IAP developed novel variants of the bioplastic PBS to significantly expand its range of applications. To do this, comprehensive expertise was pooled in the fields of polymer synthesis, process development and optimization, polymer processing, and scale-up.

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Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is an environmentally friendly bioplastic produced by certain bacteria. It is completely biodegradable, it is biocompatible, and it can be used as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics – for example, in packaging such as films and cups, in agricultural mulch films, or even in 3D printing and injection molding processes.

A feasibility study examined whether textile waste that is difficult to recycle can be suitably used as a raw material source in the production of PHB. The Beneficial Design Institute identified suitable textile streams for this purpose. Project partner Rittec 8.0 Umwelttechnik GmbH chemically recycled selected, single-type samples to obtain monoethylene glycol (MEG), an important raw material. At Fraunhofer IAP, this MEG was used together with its conversion products as a nutrient medium for bacteria that produce PHB. The biopolymers obtained in this way showed promising properties in laboratory analyses, both in terms of their internal structure and their industrial processability.
 

While cellulose-based films, fibers, and nonwovens are widely established, there are currently no known applications for molded parts with larger or more complex geometries. In this project, Fraunhofer IAP developed a novel process for manufacturing high-strength, dimensionally stable, and biocompatible 3D molded parts from regenerated cellulose. It then went on to characterize it comprehensively and demonstrate its suitability for various geometries. This has significantly expanded the range of applications for the biopolymer cellulose.

The AURORA project aimed to increase the energy efficiency of conventional liquid crystal displays (LCDs) by up to 60 percent. Here, Fraunhofer IAP developed an innovative converter film made of aligned nanorods that functions as a large-area, polarized light source. This innovation contributes greatly to sustainable electronics and resource conservation by significantly reducing energy consumption. The project thus actively supports the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production).

The ElchFen project developed and tested novel electrochromic materials and their production processes with a view to their cost-efficient use in energy-optimized construction. The aim was to create marketable, color-neutral switching alternatives to the previously widespread blue-switching electrochromic glasses. At Fraunhofer IAP, industry-relevant processing techniques such as slot die coating and roll-to-roll processes were used to apply the electrochromic polymers and the electrolyte to the conductive substrate. Electrochromic polymers that absorb a broad spectral range were also synthesized, resulting in a gray-to-black switching compound. The films were then processed into glass laminates.

Six Fraunhofer institutes have joined forces in the Fraunhofer ElKaWe flagship project to develop electrocaloric heat pumps for heating and cooling based on ceramic and polymer-based electrocaloric materials. Possible areas of application include buildings, household and industrial cooling appliances, and air conditioning systems in cars. Electrocaloric heat pumps promise high efficiency and do not require harmful refrigerants. Fraunhofer IAP has developed important basic components for such heat pumps that include electrocaloric polymer materials and multilayer components.

The aim of the project was the targeted development of novel luminescent materials for optoelectronic applications such as OLEDs and color converters. The focus was on functionalized, structurally flexible phosphanoxides and their metal complexes, which are characterized by high stability, low-cost synthesis, and versatile modifiability. The close integration of synthesis, theory, and application led to a deeper understanding of the relationship between structure and luminescence and enabled systematic material development. The compounds developed at Fraunhofer IAP were characterized and tested as emitters in optoelectronic devices. Customized OLEDs and color converters were achieved using printable inks. The project provided fundamental insights into emission and opened up new avenues for the design of efficient phosphors.

The project further developed quantum dot-based light-emitting diodes (QD-LEDs) in which freely programmable emission patterns are achieved using inkjet printing and resist technology. This process has advanced the cost-efficient and application-oriented production of customized light displays that can be used for info-displays, advertising, or other displays. Fraunhofer IAP developed novel structurable charge transport materials, highly efficient quantum dots, and innovative manufacturing processes. The institute also designed the layout of the demonstrators and implemented them using printing technologies.

The aim of the project was to develop conditioners for hair care products that are obtained from sustainable sources and are highly biodegradable without compromising their cosmetic properties. Here, starch-based polysaccharides with a high molecular weight were modified with cationic groups to allow them to effectively attach to the hair’s surface.
 

The aim of the project was to develop a novel chemical sensor to detect carbon dioxide (CO₂). The sensor uses CuOx nanostructures for direct electrical measurements, whereas conventional CO₂ sensors are based on optical detection principles and require the device to be at least several centimeters in size. The highly miniaturized CO₂ sensor is just a few millimeters wide and is expected to enable completely new applications, such as integration into wearables or IoT-enabled intelligent systems. Fraunhofer IAP participated in the project by synthesizing nanoparticles for the functionalization of CuO sensor layers and for further optimization of the sensor response.

The joint project food4future, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), is part of the Agricultural Systems of the Future program. Since 2019, the project has focused on developing innovative approaches for a sustainable and healthy food supply. As part of food4future, Fraunhofer IAP developed fiber-reinforced lightweight materials and structures specifically designed for use in vertical farming – a space-saving cultivation method that enables resource-efficient food production in urban areas.
 

The aim of this industrial research project was the semi-automated, lab-scale production of an environmentally friendly and innovative leather alternative based on fungal composite materials. In the project, a conveyor belt system to produce mycelium-based materials was designed, constructed, and put into operation. Various biogenic residues such as rapeseed straw and green waste were used as substrates. In addition, a variety of pretreatment methods were tested for their effectiveness in reducing germs. A collaboration with a company in the leather industry aimed at the industrial post-treatment of the fungal material to obtain high-quality, marketable leather alternatives. The optimization of the plant and the development of materials will continue into the future.

The project investigated the influence that differently modified starches had on their biodegradability. Focus was on industrially relevant substance classes such as starch esters, starch ethers, and anionic and cationic derivatives. Both commercial products and research samples were included in the analysis.

The results formed the basis of a comprehensive potential analysis in which modified starches were evaluated as sustainable alternatives to synthetic polymers. Further utilization of the findings is planned as part of subsequent projects. Application tests on the use of modified starches (carboxymethyl starches) as thickeners in shower creams revealed good applicability for certain samples with high solubility and transmission values.
 

Harnessing the potential of quantum computing for industry requires timely research, development, and introduction of quantum-based solutions for products, materials, and processes – an aspect that is becoming increasingly important. Against this backdrop, four Fraunhofer institutes have joined forces to form the Fraunhofer Industrial Application Center Quantum Computing Hamburg (IQHH). Within the framework of the IQHH, four industrial application areas were selected, systematically described, and processed using appropriate quantum algorithms. These algorithms were successfully tested on quantum simulators and real quantum computers. Fraunhofer IAP focused on quantum-based process prediction and the development of digital twins for catalysts – with a view to using them in the hydrogen economy.

Material innovations, especially smart materials such as piezoelectric ceramics, shape memory alloys, and dielectric elastomers, are the drivers of technological innovations. Due to their complex, process-dependent behavior, their targeted development requires precise material descriptions and process models. The SmaDi joint project focused on the digital mapping of these materials and their manufacturing processes in order to accelerate development. Ontology-based data access (OBDA), which was expanded to include mathematical model equations (OBDMA), created uniform access to distributed, heterogeneous materials science data with the aim of facilitating material selection and use in industrial applications. Fraunhofer IAP focused its work on material characterization and the analysis of the processing methods of dielectric elastomers.
 

SmartID uses the unique properties of the product surface as an additional feature for generating a forgery-proof QR code. Like human fingerprints, the surface properties of each product are unique. SmartID technology integrates these properties into a QR code. This makes it possible to authenticate products. Standard smartphones can use this technology to securely verify product identities. This means that every participant in the supply chain – from the manufacturer to the distributor to the end consumer – can check whether a product is genuine or counterfeit. Fraunhofer IAP’s role in the project was to develop quantum materials that allow significantly more surface texture features to be detected over smaller areas.
 

Conventional robotic grippers are limited when it comes to safely handling sensitive, irregularly shaped objects such as food. The SoMaRo project therefore aimed to develop a novel, adaptive gripping technology based on adjustable soft kinematics with integrated soft actuators, sensors, and electronics made from smart materials. These can be precisely controlled by electric fields and, when used in conjunction with intelligent control algorithms, enable sensitive, flexible gripping that is comparable to the sensitivity of the human hand. At Fraunhofer IAP, multilayer actuators based on electroactive polymers (EAP) were developed as part of the project.
 

The PolarGrit project advanced the development of novel polarization gratings for head-up displays (HU displays). The focus was on both circular and linear polarization gratings, which were produced using polarization holography with visible laser radiation (vis-laser). New types of vis-sensitive liquid crystal photopolymers were used, which enable a precise and stable grating structure. In addition, an industry-compatible, non-holographic copying process was developed that allows the grating structures to be replicated in series production, thereby supporting their transfer to marketable applications. Fraunhofer IAP’s role in the project was to develop novel polarization gratings using holographic techniques.