Polymeric Materials and Composites PYCO

The research division Polymer Materials and Composites PYCO is your competent partner in all questions of polymer-based lightweight construction with fiber-plastic composites and complex fiber composite components in multi-material design.

Our holistic approach includes not only novel construction methods, material design, structures and associated manufacturing technologies but also the development of sustainable recovery and recycling strategies for end-of-life scenarios.

We offer customized solutions thanks to our state-of-the-art equipment and technologies.

Starting with the development of special polymers and fiber composite semi-finished products, through the design of prototypes, to the planning and implementation of manufacturing processes suitable for large-scale production, all the key lightweight construction competencies in the value chain can thus be mapped under one roof, from monomers to energy-efficient high-performance composite components. Such a bundling effect is an absolutely unique selling point in the German research landscape.

Services

• development and modification of polymers and composites for lightweight construction applications
• formulation of resins and their synthesis
• resins for bulk applications and high performance materials (e.g. UP, PF, EP and polycyanurates)
• cross-scale analysis and characterization of polymers and structural testing
• development of energy-efficient manufacturing technologies for individualized lightweight structures
• design and layout of complex structural components
• coupled process-structure simulation and holistic optimization, machine learning, stochastic modeling
• design of material- and load path-appropriate load introduction elements and joining technologies
• implementation and support of technology demonstrators until market maturity
• chemically and physically based recycling processes for plastics and high-performance composites
• investigations in the fire laboratory
• Method development for the characterization of polymers, semi-finished products and components
• automated system for determining the fracture toughness of reactive resins by means of optical crack tracking (OCT)
• thermophysical characterization of polymer films in the sub-micrometer range using temperature-variable ellipsometry
• spectroscopic analysis e.g. by IR/Raman/TGA coupling and FTIR microscope

Research

• development of customized polymers and semi-finished products
• sustainable lightweight solutions with fiber-reinforced composites
• materials for microelectronic and photonic applications
• continuous development and optimization of manufacturing processes and process chains
• materials-compatible recycling and repair processes
• energy-efficient curing methods: microwave, UV, IR and electron beam
• development of special additives, e.g. fracture toughness and flame retardant modificationCoupled process and structure simulation
• holistic material-adapted additive manufacturing processes

Departments

Together with companies, the materials scientists in the Polymer Materials and Composites PYCO research area develop both highly crosslinked polymers, SMC and BMC semi-finished products, and high-performance prepregs for fiber composite components. The design and layout as well as the manufacturing implementation of high-performance components is carried out in the Design and Manufacturing Technologies department. In product development, the scientists and engineers draw on state-of-the-art software systems and simulation tools, highly automated series production technologies, and materials developments from the Tailored Materials department.

The equipment of the research area enables both the development of new polymers and the calculation, design and simulation as well as the characterization of entire components.

Locations

Wildau | Cottbus

News of the research division PYCO

6.5.2021 | Commissioning of a waterjet cutting system at the Research Field Polymeric Materials and Composites PYCO

After three days of training by the plant manufacturer in the last week of March, a new waterjet cutting system was put into operation at the Cottbus site. This makes it possible to cut a wide range of materials, e.g. plastics, CFRP, aluminum, steel, both with pure water and with the addition of an abrasive. The material size can be up to 100 cm x 200 cm with a material thickness of max. 300 mm to cut a defined geometry. The system makes it possible to deepen the cooperation of the Fraunhofer IAP, research area PYCO with the FG Polymer-Based Lightweight Construction of the BTU in Cottbus and to use the precise shape of the material cut for a wide range of applications in project work.