Reference projects

Lightweight vehicles and construction materials are particularly energy efficient. With the goal of achieving the lowest possible weight combined with good thermal insulation, composite materials are often used that can only be recycled to a very limited extent, if at all. In addition, they are usually comprised of petrochemical or other finite raw materials. In collaboration with industrial partners, we are developing a resource- and climate-friendly solution: recyclable lightweight-construction materials on the basis of renewable raw materials with individual forming possibilities. The special feature: the integration of a functional layer should enable the production of heatable furniture and interior components with a lighting function. The application and market potential is very high throughout all sectors.

How can particularly sustainable thermal insulation materials be produced for buildings? With fungi! In collaboration with the Braunschweig-based start-up “YcoLabs”, we are using the organic growth of fungal mycelium as a natural binder in order to process plant residues such as hemp hurds, wood shavings or elephant-grass fibers into insulation materials. One particular advantage: The insulation materials can be allowed to grow into virtually any shape and size. This makes them very versatile. In order to demonstrate the performance capabilities of the fungal insulation materials, we are producing prototypes for an application example and testing them in a real operational environment. In subsequent pilot projects with the construction industry, we aim to further develop the insulation materials into a variety of marketable products. In this way, we are providing a contribution towards an increase in the proportion of renewable raw materials in buildings and, consequently, towards achieving climate- and environmental-protection targets.

Heat, drought, storms, bark beetles: In the Harz National Park, climate change is leading to widespread forest damage. Reforestation will take decades. This has a significant impact on the timber and forestry industry, tourism and, consequently, the well-being of the regional population. In collaboration with research and regional partners, we are developing various scenarios for reforestation and are predicting their ecosystem services as well as their socio-economic effects above and beyond this. One approach involves replacing the dead spruce stands with more climate-resistant deciduous tree species. At the Fraunhofer WKI, we are investigating the achievable wood quality and yield as well as the suitability of the wood for the production of wood-based materials.

With this project, we would like to demonstrate how agroforestry systems with fast-growing poplars can enable sustainable agriculture whilst simultaneously strengthening the wood industry. In collaboration with research and practice partners, we are establishing model regions in Northern Germany and developing innovative value chains for poplar wood – in particular for material use. The focus of the Fraunhofer WKI thereby lies on the development of wood-based materials and hybrid material composites. Through the optimization of poplar cultivation, suitable wood qualities and assortments are to be achieved. In order to facilitate the entry of agricultural and wood-utilizing companies into the agroforestry value chains and to ensure the purchase of wood at stable conditions, cooperation models are being developed and networks established within the project.

The wood constituent lignin accrues in large quantities as a by-product of pulp and paper production. In collaboration with industrial partners, we are developing a high-performance bio-foam from lignin. In order to demonstrate its market potential, the lignin foam is being processed into molded parts for the automotive industry within the scope of the project. These parts are to be utilized as the core in car bumpers. Petrochemical foam materials could also be replaced by climate-friendly lignin foams in numerous other applications - for example in packaging, insulation materials or as a core material in wind-turbine rotor blades.

There are already more than 30,000 wind turbines in Germany. By 2030, there could be more than twice as many. A wind turbine is usable for around 20 to 30 years and must then be disposed of. The tower made from steel and concrete is already very easy to recycle, but the rotor blades have not been up until now. They consist of complex multi-material composites – firmly bonded by thermoset resins. One promising approach: With the aid of detachable resin systems, rotor blades could be constructed in such a way that the materials can be separated by type at the end of the service life. In collaboration with research and industry partners, we are developing industrially feasible production, separation and processing procedures for this purpose. The focus of the Fraunhofer WKI lies in the processing and reutilization of recovered glass fibers and balsa-wood components. As a result, we are helping to ensure that a high-quality reutilization of 100 percent of the wind-turbine materials is possible at the end of their service life.

Protecting moorlands, avoiding greenhouse-gas emissions and, at the same time, extracting valuable raw materials for house construction and horticulture: That is the aim of this model and demonstration project, which is being implemented in two model regions in the districts of Emsland and Cuxhaven by a total of 13 partners from research and industry. The task of the Fraunhofer WKI is to thereby develop, manufacture and test construction products on the basis of cattails in close collaboration with the Fraunhofer IBP.

Organic sheets made from fiber-reinforced plastic can be formed using processes similar to those applied in steel- or aluminum-sheet processing. Until now, primarily glass fibers – as well as carbon or aramid fibers and petrochemical plastics – have been utilized for production. In collaboration with the Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (IfBB) at Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts, we are developing a sustainable and competitive alternative: bio organic sheets made from natural fibers and bioplastics with improved material properties and a high level of recyclability. Diverse products could thereby become more sustainable - including vehicles, housings, cladding and sports equipment. Thanks to the good availability of inexpensive raw materials, bio organic sheets also have strong market potential.

Small city apartments, house moves, and changes in living and working circumstances: These days, furniture has to fulfill demanding requirements in terms of functionality and flexibility. In collaboration with research partners and companies, we develop furniture that meets these requirements and is furthermore sustainable. The starting point is the new and further development of compounds, foams and imitation leather made from lignin - a plant-based residual material from industry. The aim is the creation of modular, lightweight furniture that can be easily disassembled, transported, repaired and repurposed. In other words, the service life of the material should be as long as possible. A further focus of the project is the recyclability of the furniture - from entire assemblies through to the single-type separation and preparation of the individual materials. Possibilities for the transfer of materials to other areas of application – such as the fashion industry and the motorhome sector – are also being considered.

After 20 to 30 years, wind turbines have reached the end of their service life and need to be dismantled. In future, up to 75,000 tons of waste from rotor blades will be produced every year, including large quantities of fibre-reinforced plastics. Up to now, they have been used to generate energy (incinerated) or shredded and recycled as cement aggregate. Together with research and industry partners, we are developing a resource-efficient solution: using pyrolysis, the fiber composite plastic from the rotor blades is broken down into its components to recover the fibers used. Both these »recyclate fibers« and the pyrolysis oils and pyrolysis gases produced at the same time can be used industrially. The focus of the Fraunhofer WKI is on the wet-chemical processing of the recyclate fibers for the renewed production of materials. In this way, we are helping to reduce the raw material requirements of the wind industry.