Reference projects | project start: 2016

Insulation materials made from renewable raw materials help to relieve pressure on the environment by conserving resources and also make a significant contribution towards a reduction in CO₂ emissions. Under the leadership of the Fraunhofer WKI, a consortium of twelve research institutes is conducting interdisciplinary research into holistic solutions in order to significantly increase the application of insulation materials made from renewable raw materials (German: nachwachsende Rohstoffe, “NawaRo”).

The application of sugar beet pulp in composite materials or as a component of plastic films will provide sugar beet producers with new fields of business in the future and reduces the consumption of fossil raw materials. We are working together with the Fraunhofer UMSICHT and with partners from agriculture and industry to investigate innovative and economical usage possibilities for beet pulp.

Foams have up until now normally been made of petrochemical-based polymers. In cooperation with two project partners, we are developing a more climate-friendly alternative: a pressure-resistant foam packaging material made primarily from residual agricultural materials such as corn cobs and other lignocellulose-based materials such as wood. It can be recycled together with cardboard secondary packaging and therefore offers cost advantages for the industry and companies.

The building industry is key to Germany’s economy. Anorganically bound wood-based materials are used for a variety of applications such as dry-walling and timber frame construction, as components for shell constructions and for façade cladding. They can also be found in ceilings, floors, walls, cladding for walls in damp rooms and in constructions intended to protect against fire or noise. Due to Europe’s re-classification of formaldehyde as a class 1B carcinogen (substance is probably carcinogenic to humans), the industry will soon require formaldehyde-free binding agents and additives. In this project, we are currently developing binding agents which use formaldehyde-free resins based on melamine and naphthalene with improved characteristics for construction applications.

Wood releases volatile organic compounds: What is perceptible as a typical wood scent in indoor areas is reflected in measurable values. Building materials are currently only tested individually. In real-life installation situations, however, interactions or secondary reactions can occur. The aim of the project as a whole is the development of a proposal for the procedure for the evaluation of CE-labelled wood-based materials and technically dried cross-laminated timber with regard to the release of substances into the indoor air. The Fraunhofer WKI sub-project focuses on the development of new investigation procedures with regard to ensuring compliance with existing guideline values for the evaluation of the quality of indoor air as well as the secure classification of the wood-based materials with respect to their health compatibility. The results should serve as a foundation for recommendations for action regarding the structural application of wood products.

Due to the current debate concerning possible stricter guidelines for the emission of formaldehyde from wood-based materials, an enhanced potential for isocyanates as cross-linking adhesive components can be seen. The application of isocyanates in wood bonding may not, however, be regarded as trivial. Firstly, their high reactivity must be controlled and their tendency to readily penetrate the wood which is to be bonded must be reduced. The research group Gluing, Bonding and Adhesives from the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research WKI has been intensively focusing on solution approaches for these issues for several years. In this project, we are developing an analytical method which will enable us to follow and evaluate the isocyanate reactivity.