Fraunhofer Institute for
Applied Polymer Research IAP
Fraunhofer Institute for
Applied Polymer Research IAP

Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize 2024

Flexible PLA films awarded

more info

© Fraunhofer, Photo: Piotr Banczerowski

From monomers
to high-tech polymers

Polymer Synthesis

Services

 

You want to develop a material or process, optimize it or make it fit for industrial applications?

Contact us!

Material development

Material properties via recipe and process

  • formulation and process
    • copolymers
    • chain structure
    • Molar mass distribution
  • additivation and stabilization
  • reactive blending

Characterization and testing

  • molecular characterization
  • material testing

Conventional plastics

  • new building blocks
  • polyesters, polyamides, PUs, acrylics,
    styrenics, cationic and anionic polymers (polyelectrolytes)

Bio-based plastics

  • validation of new building blocks
  • testing of raw material qualities
  • adaptation of properties to target markets

Process development

 

The manufacturing process of a polymer has a decisive influence on performance and costs of the corresponding plastic. We develop safe polymerization processes that meet economic and ecological requirements.

Polymerization processes

  • solution and bulk polymerization
  • emulsion, suspension, precipitation polymerization
  • inverse emulsion polymerization
  • non-aqueous heterophase polymerization (O/O emulsions)
  • reactive extrusion

Process analysis

  • elaboration of the characteristics
  • calorimetry (automatic reaction calorimeter RC1)
  • inline particle size and visualization (FBRM and video microscopy)
  • reaction tracking by means of inline IR

Process optimization

  • more efficient processes
  • safer processes
  • better products

 

Process development for polymer dispersions

Continuous inline brassing of
Particle sizes from 50 nm to 2 mm

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Scale-up and sample quantities

  • process analysis
  • preliminary investigations for scale-up with focus on process reliability
  • scale-up from laboratory to pilot plant scale (up to 10kg)
  • provision of sample quantities
  • process analysis
 

In the synthesis pilot plant of the Fraunhofer PAZ, polymer syntheses up to the ton scale are possible.

zum Fraunhofer PAZ

Equipment

Glass reactors

  • double jacket, up to 25 L,
    -1 / 0,4 bar, up to 200 ° C

 

Stainless steel pressure reactors with a distillation structure

  • 1 L (Büchi, -1/60 bar, up to 300 °C)
  • 1,5 L (Büchi, -1/60 bar, up to 300 °C,
    reaction tracking by torque recording)
  • 7,5 L (Büchi, -1/25 bar, up to 300 °C,
    reaction tracking by means of torque recording)

 

PLA miniplant

 

Twin screw extruder

  • 12mm / 36D and 15,9mm / 50D

RC1e reaction calorimeter with:

  • inline determination of particle size (FBRM)
  • video microscopy
  • inline IR spectroscopy
  • glass reactors (0,5 and 1L)
  • pressure reactor (1,8 L, 60 bar)

Bild // DSE (neu)

 

 

 

Bild// Schmelzestrang aus Kessel (existiert bei PR)

Access to:

  • extensive characterization and testing (link) 
  • further scale-up possible in the PAZ

Consulting

We will be happy
to advise you!

 

 

Contact us!

 

Material and process issues

Biobased plastics

Process optimization