Biopolymers

The research division Biopolymers focuses on one hand on industrially available biopolymers such as cellulose, starch, lignin, chitosan, vegetable and animal proteins. On the other hand biopolymers from products of agriculture and forestry are obtained with newly developed methods in order to expand the opportunities for using renewable raw materials and to achieve a holistic value of biomass.

In the development of biobased products, we focus on aspects such as functionality, efficiency and safety. Our goal is to replace petroleum by renewable resources in many applications. New approaches for securing the raw material basis of the chemical industry, for global food security and reduction of harmful emissions are developed.

The use of biopolymers has been established for example in the food manufacturing industries, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, chemical industry, plastics processing and vehicle manufacturing.

Cellulose

• viscose process / carbamate process / lyocell process
• optimization of processes for paper production
• bacteria cellulose

Lignin

• analytical lignin characterization
  
• precursor material for carbon fibers
• application in thermoplastic systems and composites

Starch

• enzymatic and chemical derivatization
• reactive extrusion
• application e. g. as barrier coating, binder, functional food additive, tableting agent, adhesive for wood fiberboards
  

Feedstock analysis, material characterization and testing

• comprehensive chemical and physical analysis
• characterization of organic and inorganic substances and mixtures
• application-oriented testing (e. g. thermal, mechanical, barrier properties) of powders, fibers, films, moldings
  

Plastics processing

• material development from biopolymers, bio-based polymers and from biomass (thermoplastics, composites)
• process development for physical, enzymatic and chemical modification of biopolymers and biomass for materials and special products
• material testing and optimization of processing properties and methods
• development of fibers and nonwovens
• compounding and additives
• strand extrusion and pelletizing
• blown film and flat film production (3-layer films)
• blown film forming (single and two-layer)
• injection molding
• thermoforming
• 3D printing / fused deposition modeling (FDM), incl. 3D printing
• filament production
  
   

Carbon fibers

• manufacturing of precursors incl. spinning technologies
• PAN-based and lignocellulosic precursors
• continuous conversion up to 3000 °C
• supporting physical, chemical and structural characterization up to carbon fibers

As nature's synthesis products, biopolymers provide an impressive variety of macromolecular structures and physical properties. They are produced in renewable raw materials that are available rather endlessly. Traditionally, specific procedures are used worldwide for its isolation on an industrial scale. These biopolymers are available for product development and possess an inexhaustible potential for optimization for different applications.

The research division Biopolymers has scientific and technological expertise in the following areas

• production of biopolymers
• application and optimization of chemical and biotechnological processes for the direct recycling of biomass by extraction and processing of ingredients from the products of agricultural and forestry
• investigation of morphology, structure and physical properties in the solid state
• determination of the chemical composition and molecular properties
• development of functional biopolymers by physical, enzymatic and chemical modification
• investigation of process conditions of different technologies in the development of materials such as composites, films, fibers, nonwovens, thermoplastics and thermosets, membranes, polyols, toiletries
• expansion of the property profile by processing in combination with biobased and synthetic polymers
• development of specalties such as micro- and nanoparticles, encapsulating biopolymers and drug delivery, paper additives, building materials, adsorbents, adhesives, latex substitutes, polymer solutions and dispersions, gels, functional food additives

Compound processing

• flexible configurable twin screw extruders up to 15 kg / h
• conical twin screw extruders for compounding of small volume (> 5 cm³) samples
• measuring kneader
• extrusion blow molding machine
• physical foaming equipment Optifoam
• platen presses up to 300 x 300 mm² press area
• 3D-printer

Film manufacturing

• chill-roll units
• tools for cast-film and flat-film processing in monolayer, 3-layer and 5-layer version
• laboratory blown film lines
• monoaxial laboratory stretching unit for film and monofilament
• thermoforming and skin pack equipment

Injection molding

• piston injection molding machine for small amounts
• injection molding machines

Fiber spinning lines

• Fourné laboratory bicomponent melt spinning line
• lyocell-laboratory spinning system
• wet spinning lines
• viscose pilot plant by Blaschke

Carbon fiber equipment

• batch-oven up to 1700 °C
• stabilization up to 400 °C (tube ovens)
• LT carbonization up to 1000 °C (tube ovens)
• HT carbonization up to 2000 °C (tube oven)
• UHT carbonization / graphitization up to 3000 °C (tube oven)

Spectroscopy

• high resolution NMR spectrometer for liquids and solids
• confocal Raman / PL microscope system
• inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES)
• mass spectrometer
• UV / VIS spectrometer

Chromatography

• gas chromatograph with flame ionization detector (FID) and mass spectrometer
• high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC)
• high performance anion exchange chromatograph (HPAEC)
• Ion chromatograph (IC) and combustion Ion chromatograph (CIC)
• gel permeation chromatograph with multi-detection (VISCO, MALLS, UV, RI, ELSD)

Morphology and structure elucidation

• optical microscopes with video- and image analysis technology
• polarization microscopy
• scanning electron microscope (SEM) including X-ray microanalysis (EDX) and detector for backscattered electrons, devices for cryopreparation of moist samples
• transmission electron microscope (TEM) incl. ultra-thin cut technology, cryomicrotomy, replica technology
• X-ray equipment for wide angle (WAXS) and for small angle (SAXS) x-ray scattering

Material characteristics

• air-conditioned mechanical test laboratory (incl. universal tensile testing machine, impact tester, bending endurance tester, …)
• dart-drop tester
• dynamic scanning calorimeter (DSC)
• system for dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA)
• moisture meter for plastics
• system for density determination of solids and liquids (incl. density gradient column, helium gas pycnometer)
• vibroscope for determination of fineness of fibers
• gas (water vapor, oxygen) and liquid permeation analyzers
• respirometer (biodegradation)
• system for fire testing

Rheology

• automatic capillary viscometer for solution viscosity
• oscillation rheometer
• rotational viscometer
• rheometer high pressure cell modules for solution viscosity up to 160 °C
• melt-flow-index measurement devices