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Researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI, in collaboration with industrial partners, have developed a highly fire-retardant drywall system made from wood with a fire-resistance rating of at least 60 minutes. Featuring a non-combustible plywood panel as cladding, the system fulfils increased fire-protection requirements in buildings. With this project, the researchers are expanding the range of possible applications for wood in buildings — particularly in higher building classes. Through the utilization of domestic wood species, transport distances can be kept to a minimum and new sales markets can be created for the German forestry industry.

In collaboration with industrial partners, researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI have developed insulation boxes made from a non-combustible foam for heating systems. As a result, heating systems in buildings with heightened fire-protection requirements could be installed, maintained and converted more quickly.

Raoul Klingner took over the role as institute director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut, WKI on May 15, 2026. The wood science expert is now in charge of the strategic alignment of the institute on a permanent basis. He has been the acting institute director since October 1, 2024. At the same time, Raoul Klingner is also taking over the Professorship for Organic and Wood-Based Materials at the Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences of TU Braunschweig.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI have proven that beechwood can be utilized as a wood-fiber insulation material in the form of mats or foams. One application example is vertically perforated bricks filled with insulation mats made from beechwood fibers. In addition, the project partners have collaborated to develop a final concept for a pilot plant designed to manufacture insulation materials based on beechwood.

On 24 April 2026, the play “K:lebt!” will celebrate its premiere in the Kleines Haus of the Braunschweig State Theatre. The Fraunhofer WKI’s expertise in adhesives served, among other things, as the inspiration for the play, in which adhesive is used as a metaphor for the cohesion of society. The researchers from the institute investigate bio-based adhesives (on the basis of renewable raw materials) and biogenic residues in order to develop ecological solutions for the future. In the play, elements from this research – such as polymer coils and tensile tests – are featured. The play poses the overarching question: What does it take to ensure the cohesion of a society?

At Hannover Messe 2026, the layer structure of a door from Rodenberg Türsysteme AG can be seen, in which wood foam has been utilized as a structural element. The partners Fraunhofer WKI and Butterweck Holzstoffe GmbH & Co. KG are thereby demonstrating an application possibility for wood foam in combination with classic wood-based materials. The wood foam developed and patented by the Fraunhofer WKI is produced and distributed by Butterweck Holzstoffe GmbH & Co. KG.

From 18 to 20 March 2026, the Fraunhofer WKI will be presenting the first interim results of the “LuminousNetworks” project at the Wissenschaftsschaufenster Braunschweig (Science Showcase Braunschweig, located at Waisenhausdamm 8). “LuminousNetworks” focuses the spotlight on fungal mycelium as a material. As a sustainable and functional resource, mycelium has already become a game-changer in the development of biomaterials. Through the works of artist Malte Taffner, who is involved in the project, the fungi now shine in a completely new kind of light.

Sustainability is an aspect that more and more consumers pay close attention to when buying furniture. As part of their research project titled LinumTube, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut, WKI have created modern seating furniture that is easy to disassemble, adapt and transport, and is also highly recyclable. The modular systems are made of only two materials: fabric produced from natural fibers and steel tubes.

Fall is the peak season for mushroom fans, as the moister conditions and falling temperatures are ideal for promoting the growth of fungi. However, when Dr. Henrik-Alexander Christ and Dr. Steffen Sydow from the Fraunhofer WKI set out in search of fungi, they are not only interested in the fruiting body: For the researchers, the thread-like network of hyphae, the so-called mycelium, is particularly exciting. It is found under the soil and its abilities can be exploited for the production of various materials. The two researchers are investigating the potential of mycelium-based materials for use in, for example, the construction industry.

The search for sustainable materials is gaining increasingly in importance – including in the construction and furniture industries. In order to meet this demand, researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI are developing bio-based adhesives on the basis of renewable raw materials and biogenic residues. In the “LowEPanel” research project, they are testing formaldehyde-free adhesives made from lignin and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) for the production of sustainable particle boards using regional wood residues. This enables them to develop high-quality bio-based materials, thereby optimizing the value chain. Bio-based adhesives are a key technology for the bonding of materials and the conservation of finite resources, and represent a promising growth market. As a result of the research being conducted at the Fraunhofer WKI, particle boards are becoming more ecological and easier to recycle.

Right now, the only factor determining when a road needs resurfacing is the condition of the road surface itself. However, the state of the asphalt layer beneath it is also an important marker that has not been adequately taken into account until now. To assess it, only indirect measurement methods are available, which either measure only the surface or damage the road by drilling. A new monitoring system from Fraunhofer researchers and partners detects damage early on and continuously monitors the condition of the underlying asphalt layer, comprehensively and without causing any damage. The centerpiece of the new solution is a fabric of sensors inside the asphalt. AI algorithms to analyze the data are also part of the system. Going forward, the researchers hope the interaction between the sensors and AI will help assess the condition of road structures in real time.

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, unless an expensive and time-consuming approval is applied for in individual cases. In collaboration with project partner German Textile Research Center North-West (DTNW), researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI have developed an environmentally-friendly flame-retardant coating for wood surfaces which are exposed to the elements.

To protect the environment, especially the ocean, many single-use plastic products are banned in the EU. But single-use products made from unmodified natural polymers are allowed. With this in mind, researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI have teamed up with partners to develop compostable single-use tableware based on local agricultural residue from sugar production.

Whether in buildings or vehicles, many load-bearing components can now be made from wood, in particular from bonded wood-based materials and hybrid materials. Their aging behavior, however, has not yet been sufficiently researched. Common methods for testing the durability in outdoor areas are either time-consuming or, as a result of their requirements, not relevant in practice. Both can lead to considerable cost increases for manufacturers and customers. In collaboration with the Department of Separating and Joining Manufacturing Processes (TFF) at the University of Kassel, researchers at the Fraunhofer WKI have therefore developed a realistic rapid-aging procedure that can be used, in particular, by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).