Press

Plastics are conquering the earth - unfortunately not always to the earth’s advantage, as indicated by the increasing reports on plastic waste. Two studies by the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF, on the other hand, demonstrate that upcycling of PET bottles and the recycling of flame-retardant plastics are worthwhile both for economic reasons and for protecting the environment. Further details on these studies will be presented at the Compounding World Expo 2018 in Essen, from June 27 to June 28, at booth 707. Another main focus will be on new procedures in process technology, under the keyword Industry 4.0. A monitoring system that is based on intelligent sensor nodes, for example for a twin-screw extruder, ensures that networked work processes run reliably. With another patented procedure, the corrosiveness of plastic melts can be determined quickly, which also helps to prevent downtime in the future.

Harmful chemicals are often used in textile processing. That is why the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB is researching harmless biobased alternatives. The Institute is working on utilizing side streams from the animal feed manufacture for the production of chitosan. The biopolymer is supposed to be used as a sizing agent in the processing of yarns or for the functionalization of textiles. Fraunhofer IGB will present its work at the ACHEMA trade fair from June 11 – 15 in Frankfurt am Main.

Global experts in solar power believe the world will reach 1 terawatt (TW) of installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity within the next five years. That is the opinion voiced by 95 percent of the approximately 70 authorities who gathered in Golden, Colorado, USA for the second Terawatt Workshop held by the Global Alliance of Solar Energy Research Institutes (GA-SERI). The alliance was formed in 2012 and includes the three world leading solar research institutes, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL (USA), the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology AIST (Japan) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE (Germany).

There are videos on the internet that can make one marvel at technology. For example, a smartphone is casually bent around the arm or a thin-film display is rolled in all directions and with almost every diameter. From the user's point of view, this looks fantastic. From a professional point of view, however, the question arises: Is that already possible? At Display Week 2018, scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP will be demonstrating today’s technological possibilities and their next projects. Display Week is one of the world's leading display technology fairs and conventions, taking place from May 22 to 25 in Los Angeles.

Pharmaceutical residues in waste water pose new challenges for municipal water treatment. Established methods are frequently found lacking when it comes to removing such substances. A treatment module developed at Fraunhofer IKTS provides a remedy and completely eliminates these harmful substances.

At the beginning of October, the project "Smart Water Future India", funded by the German Federal Environment Ministry from the Export Initiative Environmental Technologies, was launched. The aim of the project, which is coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, is to develop a concept for intelligent water management for Coimbatore in southern India, a city with more than one million inhabitants. In doing so, it should be indicated how India's booming metropolises can be supported with the help of German water and wastewater technologies

Batteries are indispensable for electric vehicles and other mobile devices that require electrical power. Complex battery management systems (BMS) are needed to estimate, for example, the range and durability of the battery. Therefore, they determine the state of charge for each cell on the basis of Current (Coulomb Counting) and Voltage. As BMS calculations are based on default values, they are prone to error. Especially with frequent partial charge and certain battery cell types, no precise measurement of the state of charge is possible. In addition, these systems consume some of the energy themselves.

The consortium led by Leiden University Medical Center and the Dutch hDMT (human Disease Model Technologies) has been assigned by the EU with the task to create a roadmap for the future development of organ-on-chip technology. Its aim is to establish a European infrastructure to enable coordinated development, production and implementation of organ-on-a-chip systems. The consortium is funded by the EU FET-Open Program and brings together six leading European research institutions, including the Fraunhofer-Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart, Germany.

With thermally sprayed particle suspensions, previously unattained layer qualities can be achieved. The complete solution for surface finishing of heavily stressed components is now being put into practice by Fraunhofer researchers from Dresden. Industrial applications benefit from increased process stability and reliability.

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (Munich, Germany) is the largest applied research organization in Europe, with more than 67 institutes and research units located throughout Germany staffed by 24,500 people, mostly scientists and engineers. CW recently got a chance to tour one, Fraunhofer ICT in Pfintzal, Germany.