A research team working on the Green plastics subproject has developed an entire process chain for producing sustainable polymers. Several institutes collaborated on this project under the leadership of Fraunhofer IAP. The experts at Fraunhofer IAP, who led the subproject, contributed their expertise in the areas of polymer synthesis, process development, and scale-up.
Commercial polyamides are made from lactams, as well as diamines and dicarboxylic acids. In the project, microbial and enzymatic processes are being used to obtain diamine. The optimization and scaling of these biotechnological processes is a core topic of the “Green plastics” subproject.
Here, researchers have developed a series of new approaches and technologies. The starting point of this value chain is formate, the salt of formic acid. It is produced from carbon dioxide and sustainable electricity using a newly developed, efficient electrolysis cell. The formate acts as a food source for a microbial strain that produces lysine through fermentation. This bacterial strain is also a new development. Enzymes then convert the lysine into diamine. This biotechnological process allows climate-damaging CO2 to be returned to the material cycle as a valuable resource. Using a newly developed extraction and rectification technology, the diamine is purified before it is ready for use in polycondensation. The experts in the Biopolymers research division at Fraunhofer IAP used bio-based dicarboxylic acids as co-components for the material development of the new, sustainable polymers. This enabled them to synthesize a completely new type of polyamide from 100 percent sustainable monomers. This polyamide has new thermal and mechanical properties, thereby expanding the field of application for aliphatic polyamides. The green polyamide produced as part of the “Green plastics” subproject is just one of many chemical precursors that can be produced using the basic technology of CO2 electrolysis in combination with biotechnology, thus pointing to another innovative path to green chemistry.
In the field of process optimization, the polymer synthesis team at Fraunhofer PAZ has developed a concept for a new, multi-stage reactor that has variable fluid dynamics and adjustable residence times. The new reactor concept consists of a continuous, highly flexible synthesis process that is also suitable for polyester synthesis. These green polyesters, which contain sustainable monomers (bio-based or from chemical recycling processes), represent a highly sought-after and growing research market.
The chemical industry is pursuing the ambitious goal of converting production processes to renewable raw materials and sustainable energies. With the flagship project “Shaping the future of green chemistry by process intensification and digitalization” (ShaPID), the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is supporting the transformation of the industry toward sustainable and environmentally friendly production – so-called green chemistry. New methodologies and technologies are being developed and demonstrated on a technical scale based on the internationally recognized 12 Principles of Green Chemistry. The Fraunhofer flagship project began in January 2021 and ended in June 2024.
The chemical industry is pursuing the ambitious goal of converting production processes to renewable raw materials and sustainable energies. With the lead project “Shaping the Future of Green Chemistry by Process Intensification and Digitalization” ShaPID, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is supporting the transformation of the industry towards 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 practical technical scale. The Fraunhofer Flagship project started in January 2021 and ended in June 2024.
Fraunhofer Institute for 