Plastics - 16 News by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

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Plastics - 16 News by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

Tip: You can further refine your news selection by departments and industries.

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Innovative plastic film material made from PLA bioplastic

Researchers receive the Joseph von Fraunhofer Prize 2024

14-Jun-2024 - 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 ...

plastics biodegradable plastics bioplastics
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Pyrolysis for high-quality recycled plastics

A step toward the circular economy: Pyrolysis enables chemical recycling

04-Jun-2024 - 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 ...

plastics chemical recycling circular economy
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Revamped plastics recycling chain

Today’s waste, tomorrow’s valuable resource

06-Mar-2024 - These days, the majority of consumable and everyday items are made from petroleum-based plastic. In Germany alone, some six million tons of plastic waste are generated every year. Approximately half of this is mechanically recycled into new materials; the rest is used for energy recovery. ...

plastics chemical recycling circular economy
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Inspired by the gecko: Better adhesion properties of plastics through combined micro- and nanostructures

Structured surface improves adhesion, wettability, optical reflection, hydrophobicity and recyclability.

27-Feb-2024 - With a patented process for micro-nano-structuring, the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS in Halle (Saale) has achieved significant improvements in the adhesion properties of polymers. The process, in which structured surfaces are produced by hot imprinting or ...

plastics adhesion hydrophobicity
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Non-toxic plasticisers for use in elastomers and thermoplastics

Bio-based plasticizers from Central Germany

08-Dec-2023 - The Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS is working with partners to develop a marketable, completely bio-based and non-toxic plasticizer for use in elastomers and thermoplastics. Using rapeseed oil as a starting product, more sustainable solutions for tires and ...

plastics thermoplastic polymers biopolymers
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Better recycling of plastic packaging: New process extracts fragrances

Environmentally compatible and climate-friendly recycling for high-quality "post-consumer" recyclates

25-Apr-2023 - What doesn't smell good is hard to recycle. This simple rule also applies to the growing volume of plastic waste worldwide. One way to recycle it in an environmentally compatible and climate-friendly manner as high-quality post-consumer recyclates is through improved sorting and reprocessing. ...

plastics extraction plastic packagings
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Powered-up plastics

Sensors and orthoses are possible fields of application

23-Sep-2022 - Until now, it has not been possible to additively manufacture sensors and other electronic devices in a single operation. However, a research team from the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA has now succeeded in doing just that. The key to this achievement? ...

plastics conductivity inductive proximity sensors
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Enzymes successfully embedded in plastics

Self-cleaning plastics are just the beginning - The potentials this creates are enormous

03-Jun-2021 - In general, plastics are processed at way over a hundred degrees Celsius. Enzymes, by contrast, cannot usually withstand these high temperatures. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP have managed to reconcile these contradictions: They are able to embed enzymes ...

plastics enzymes functionalization
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Microcapsules enable self-lubricating plastics

Plastic components with longer service life

06-May-2021 - 23 percent of global energy consumption can be attributed to friction losses. Components with reduced friction therefore represent an important contribution to conserving resources and achieving climate protection targets. In the case of plastics, reduced friction can also reduce microplastics in ...

plastics friction lubricants
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Bacteria fed on a customized diet produce biodegradable polymers for alternative packaging in the cosmetics industry

Replacing harmful solvents with pressure change technology

06-Oct-2020 - Germany generates around 38 kilograms of plastic waste per capita each year. In a joint project with the University of Stuttgart and LCS Life Cycle Simulation, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB and the Fraunhofer Institute for Process ...

plastics bacteria biopolymers
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