Reference projects

Particle boards are a sustainable and inexpensive construction material for houses and furniture. They can be produced from regionally available wood residues and recycled waste wood. Through this research project, particle boards will become even more sustainable. In collaboration with industrial partners, we are developing particle boards that are produced using a new kind of adhesive which should not contain any health-critical formaldehyde and which consists entirely of biogenic raw materials. Furthermore, we are conducting tests to determine whether the particle boards can be produced using alternative types of wood, which will be increasingly available in the future as a result of forest restructuring.

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.

More and more houses are being insulated by means of external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS). Whilst this saves energy, the façades are increasingly being colonized by algae. This is not only detrimental to the aesthetics but also to the diffusion capacity of the surface coating. Moisture damage can thereby result. In order to reduce algae growth, façade coatings containing biocides have often been used up to now. The problem here is that the biocides are leached out within a few years. Consequently, environmental pollution and increasing algae growth on the façade can occur. In collaboration with industry partners, we are developing a bio-based, weather-resistant façade paint that will physically prevent microbial growth. It could provide ETICS façades with long-term protection against algae - without any biocides whatsoever.

Aerogels are highly porous, light-as-a-feather materials with extraordinary properties: extremely low thermal conductivity, low sound transmission, and a high adsorption effect on volatile organic compounds. They are excellently suited both for lightweight construction and as filter materials, and are therefore considered a material of the future. In collaboration with research and industrial partners, we are developing a process for the production of aerogels on the basis of waste wood. From the aerogels, we are creating prototypes of insulation materials and pollutant-adsorbing indoor-air filters that can be utilized in buildings and vehicles. Furthermore, transfer possibilities to applications in exhaust-gas cleaning are to be demonstrated. A further project objective: The raw materials required to manufacture the aerogels are to be recovered from the products. With this sustainable material solution, we are supporting health protection as well as the fight against climate change and resource scarcity.

Lightweight cars, trucks and trains made from renewable raw materials can contribute towards the protection of resources and the climate. As a joining technology for the production of lightweight components, adhesive bonding offers particular advantages and is therefore increasingly gaining in importance. In collaboration with research and industry partners, we are developing a bio-based, switchable PU adhesive for large surfaces. This should enable the production of panel-shaped laminated materials made from wood or wood and metal, which are not formed into 3D components until a later stage in the process chain. This opens up new possibilities for the flexible, economically efficient production of sustainable lightweight vehicles as well as for repair purposes and recycling. The special feature: Thanks to the re-detachable adhesive bond, it should be possible to separate the wood and metal according to type and with as little damage as possible.

Hybrid lightweight-construction materials made from renewable raw resources are increasingly gaining importance on the market. With such materials, resource- and climate-friendly products can be manufactured that fulfill several functions - for example, load-bearing construction products with integrated thermal and sound insulation as well as durable (upholstered) furniture and packaging. Efficient component geometries enable substantial weight savings with simultaneous high mechanical stability. In collaboration with research and industry partners, we are developing a process for the manufacture of complexly shaped products made from wood or agricultural materials and bioplastics by means of automated molding machines. One important component of the material and technology development is furthermore the highest possible material recyclability of the products after the end of the first period of use.

Wood is constantly gaining in importance as a natural and sustainable construction material for buildings. As yet, however, no satisfactory fire-protection solution exists for wood in exterior applications. A lack of flame retardancy is an exclusion criterion for wooden components in tall or large-scale buildings (building classes 4 and 5), unless an expensive and time-consuming approval is applied for in individual cases. In collaboration with our project partner, we are developing an environmentally friendly flame-retardant coating for wood which is exposed to the elements. This should not require an additional top coat and should be transparent when applied. As a result, we are helping to increase the utilization of wooden façades and other exterior components made from wood in the construction industry - for example in high-rise buildings, schools and hospitals.

In its Nationale Wasserstoffstrategie (national hydrogen strategy) in 2020, the German government committed to establishing green hydrogen as the key technology for the energy revolution. Demand for hydrogen fuel cells will therefore increase in the future, for example for the expansion of electromobility through fuel-cell vehicles, emergency power supply or as combined heat-and-power plants for the dual generation of electricity and heat for industry (process heat) as well as office and residential buildings (heating). Until now, fuel cells have mainly been comprised of metal and petrochemical plastics. The aim of this project with two research partners is a bio-based fuel-cell system. It should not only be more sustainable but also more compact, lighter and less expensive than conventional systems. To achieve this, the Fraunhofer WKI is developing high-performance wood-based materials and biopolymers for the production of electrically conductive compounds.

Shelves, cupboards and other items of furniture are often made from fiberboard. Currently, they are usually produced using petrochemical binders that emit hazardous formaldehyde. With support from the Fraunhofer WKI, designer Sofia Souidi is developing a formaldehyde-free material made from wood fibers and casein – a binder that was already being used as an adhesive many centuries ago. Mixed-in color pigments and granulates combined with 3D moldability enable a diverse range of design possibilities. The material is to be made, amongst other things, from recycled components and should itself be recyclable.

Furniture and construction elements made from wood and wood-based materials are environmentally friendly and extremely popular. Until now, however, there have been no sustainable flame-retardant solutions for wooden surfaces in indoor areas. In collaboration with our project partners, we are developing transparent and colored flame-retardant coatings with a durable fire-protection effect on the basis of renewable raw materials. In doing so, we are expanding the possibilities for interior construction with wood whilst complying with stricter environmental and fire-protection regulations - for example in schools, theaters and airports or in trade-fair construction.