Press and Media

The odor of recycled plastics is a major challenge for their recycling and requires customized solutions. Recyclates can have undesirable odors that come from various sources, such as microbiological degradation or residues of previous contents. This is precisely where the Fraunhofer CCPE compact on December 5, 2024, on the topic of “Emission and odor optimization in plastics and recyclates” comes in. Prof. Andrea Büttner, Board of Management Member of the Fraunhofer CCPE and Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, provides initial answers to key questions in this interview.

PRESS release FRAUNHOFER CCPE

Hardly any other chemical substance can compete with PFAS, due to their unique properties. That explains why it is so hard to find a replacement for these toxic “forever chemicals”, which accumulate in the environment and do not break down over time. A team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM has succeeded in developing solutions that hold great promise of targeted substitution for PFAS in fields including medical engineering.

PRESS RELEASE FRAUNHOFER

Production of fine chemicals such as those used in pharmaceuticals is typically complex and laborious. An interdisciplinary team of Fraunhofer researchers worked together across different projects to devise a method modeled on a cascade, in which multiple successive stages of synthesis proceed without interruption. This is made possible through the use of novel catalysts in specially adjusted flow-through reactors. The new method makes the process of manufacturing drugs more efficient and conserves energy. In this way, the modular technology platform supports the production of pharmaceuticals in Germany as an industrial location.

PRESS RELEASE FRAUNHOFER

In order to achieve its goal of decarbonizing raw material flows, the chemical industries must cover their carbon requirements from sustainable sources. The direct capture of CO₂ from the air has hardly played a role so far – mainly due to the high investment and operating costs. The partners in the "Air2Chem" project want to change this: They are developing an integrated process that combines the "Direct Air Capture" process with electrolytic conversion of the green carbonate-containing absorber solution into platform raw materials for the chemical industries.

Press Release Fraunhofer UMSICHT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pose a risk to humans and the environment due to their high stability and ubiquitous distribution. With the treatment technology PerfluorAd^®, Fraunhofer UMSICHT and Cornelsen Umwelttechnologie GmbH have developed a market-ready process that removes PFAS from aqueous media cost-effectively and effectively. The current NRW project Perfluor.Dat is pursuing comprehensive data-based process optimization, among other things, in order to be able to adapt the process to the requirements of international markets.

Press release Fraunhofer UMSICHT

Flexible, disposable plastic films used in shopping or garbage bags are made mainly from petroleum-based low-density polyethylene (LDPE). These films, however, come with a large carbon footprint and contribute to environmental pollution. A team from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP has now developed a flexible and recyclable plastic film material based on polylactide (PLA) bioplastic and paved the way for its commercialization. For their efforts, they will receive the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize for 2024.

Press Release Fraunhofer IAP

Due to their stability and resistance to water and grease, PFAS chemicals (short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are used in a wide range industries, but they are harmful to health and the environment. Membranes containing PFAS are used in many semiconductor manufacturing processes, for example. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP have now developed a sustainable alternative in the form of an innovative, PFAS-free membrane. The chemically stable, highly permeable polymer membrane has a pore diameter of approx. seven nanometers and enables filtration of the smallest particulate contaminants. The membrane can be customized to meet specific needs, which makes it easy to integrate the new process into existing systems.

Press Release Fraunhofer IAP

Plastics made of polycarbonate are sought-after materials in industrial applications thanks to their versatility and high quality. However, recycling of plastic waste is still running up against limits these days, as mechanical recycling methods do not produce adequate qualities of recycled material for all applications. Together with chemical company Covestro Deutschland AG, Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a method that makes it possible to reclaim the substances originally used to make the polycarbonates. In catalytic pyrolysis, a controlled process of heating in an oxygen-free environment, plastic waste breaks down into its components. Manufacturers can then use the raw materials to produce new plastics.

Press release Fraunhofer IKTS

Green chemistry can make a crucial contribution to the process of transforming our economy and society toward greater sustainability and climate neutrality. Fraunhofer scientists are instrumental in supporting industry with practical solutions. They will be presenting a selection of their current projects and research findings at the Fraunhofer booth, D49 in Hall 6.0, at ACHEMA, the world’s leading trade fair for the international process industry, from June 10 to 14, 2024.

Press Release Chemistry Alliance

Synthetic rubber is indispensable today, especially for car tires and technical rubber goods. Until now, the raw materials for its production have largely been obtained from fossil sources. Under the leadership of the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP, four Fraunhofer Institutes are now developing alternative, bio-based raw material sources for synthetic rubber, which will enable completely new types of rubber for car tires. The three-year project is being funded by Fraunhofer with 3.25 million euros and starts in April 2024.

Press release IAP

Metals can be processed into wires by cold forming - an extremely complex process. However, the lubricants needed for this often do not meet the requirements of the end processors. As part of the KMU-innovativ project "Polyschmierung", five partners from industry and research have developed a new class of polymer lubricants that make the process significantly more environmentally friendly and economical. They are already being used successfully by industry. The project was funded with around 680,000 euros by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) via the Project Management Agency Karlsruhe (PTKA).

Press release IAP

Adhesives are almost always based on fossil raw materials such as petroleum. Researchers at Fraunhofer have recently developed a process that allows to utilize keratin for this purpose. This highly versatile protein compound can be found, for instance, in chicken feathers. Not only can it be used to manufacture a host of different adhesives for a variety of applications, but the processes and end products are also sustainable and follow the basic principles underlying a bio-inspired circular economy. The project, developed together with Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, addresses a billion-dollar market.
 

Press release IGB

How can e-fuels and biosurfactants for industry be produced from exhaust gases and wastewater? An interdisciplinary consortium coordinated by Fraunhofer UMSICHT is addressing this question in the newly launched BEFuel project. The focus is on coupled bioelectrochemical production – i.e. the combination of electrochemical synthesis and biotechnological synthesis using microorganisms.  


Press release UMSICHT

The many issues for which Fraunhofer IGB develops coating processes do not stop at small laboratory systems. Thanks to our excellent facilities, we are also able to carry out scaling concepts such as the continuous treatment of fiber and roll materials (foils, nonwovens).


Press release IGB

The SynLink research project deals with the production of renewable fuels, such as methanol or long-chain hydrocarbons. This means considering the entire value chain from both a technical and an economic perspective – from production of synthesis gas using renewable electrical energy and carbon dioxide, and its subsequent chemocatalytic conversion into fuel, right through to practical application tests on cars and trucks – and demonstrating that a technology readiness level (TRL) of 5–6 has been achieved. Within the project, Fraunhofer CBP was tasked with carrying out long-term experiments for methanol production on a pilot scale with a TRL of 5–6.


Press release CBP

Tape2Grape is a 100 percent biobased multifunctional grafting tape for fruit and ornamental trees, which can be equipped with individual biological ingredients. Tape2Grape is biodegradable and therefore makes an important contribution to holistic, ecological agriculture.  


Press release IGB

They protect pizza boxes against grease penetration, make outdoor clothing weatherproof, and are also found in groundwater and in the human body: perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFASs for short. Some representatives of this large group of chemicals are now classified as hazardous to health or even carcinogenic. The European Union now wants to ban a number of critical PFAS and is promoting the development of substitute materials for PFAS in four large collaborative projects, such as the EU project ZeroF. In this project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC is working with industrial companies and research institutes to develop solutions for PFAS-free food packaging and textiles.     

Press release ISC

The Fraunhofer Chemistry Alliance presents itself at ACHEMA 2022

At the world's leading trade fair for the process industry, ACHEMA in Frankfurt am Main, the Fraunhofer alliance for the chemistry lead market will present itself to the industry as a strong partner thanks to its combined expertise. From August 22 to 26, 2022, the participating institutes will showcase their current joint research activities, which focus on several areas. These include the digitalization of chemical processes, further development of green chemistry, facilitation of scale-up, safety and regulatory issues, and the efficiency of chemical processes as well as the development of a circular economy.

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