Renewable resources - Basis for new materials
Biobased alternatives to traditional polymer systems based on petroleum chemistry, become more and more important in a variety of application fields. The limited availability of fossil resources, the dependence on oil and raw material-related netto emissions of CO2 from burning (or rotting) of plastics are reasons to look for new ways to manufacture polymers from renewable resources. However, with respect to imported petroleum-based materials, marketable technical solutions for biobased products must also offer advantages concerning properties or price. The application-oriented research activities of the department "Material development and structural characterization" follow this aim.
Material development
Applied material development in the field of thermoplastics and thermosets is the department's research focus. Key aspects are the modification, additivation and reinforcement of both petrochemical-based and biobased polymers. The aim is to improve the material's physical, mechanical, thermomechanical and processing related properties.
Structure characterization
An essential component of our work is to explore structure-property relationships of advanced materials. We use the extensive experience of our staff in the areas of light and electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopy as well as good scientific equipment for structural characterization. The different methods complement each other very well and are therefore often used in an effective combination.