Forschungsthema:

Development and evaluation of mechanical recycling value chains for thermoplastic composite materials (RecyComp)

Forschungsstelle 1:

Technische Universität Ilmenau/Fachgebiet Kunststofftechnik

Forschungsstelle 2:

Thüringisches Institut für Textil- und Kunststoff-Forschung e.V.

Forschungsstelle 3:

Sirris Research Center, Belgium

Laufzeit:

01.03.2024 - 28.02.2026

Kurzfassung:

The market for long and continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastics (in the following abbreviated CFRTP) is growing, because these materials provide excellent weight specific mechanical properties and features other significant advantages such as short cycle times, storability, repeated meltability, good formability and the use of alternative joining processes enabling automated large volume manufacturing processes. During the manufacturing of CFRTP dry fiber waste (DFW) is generated. Additionally, up to 30% offcuts and end of life parts with matrix material must be considered as waste stream. Today, the composite value chain is highly linear and the main disposal routes for composites are co-processing in cement plants or landfilling. For CFRTP mechanical recycling is a promising alternative. Even though individual studies regarding the mechanical recycling of CFRTP exist, there is still a lack of transparency on the cost, the ecological impact and the properties of the recycling materials coming from the available options and still room for innovative approaches. Furthermore, the recycling scope for DFW needs to be expanded beyond carbon fibers as glass fibers are readily available DFW streams, which are mainly disposed in landfills.

Consequently, the first target of the projects is the pre-competitive development of alternative recycling approaches for CFRTP like the direct dosing of cut recycled CFRTP material during injection molding (IM), the use of a (foamed) core layer of recycled CFRTP material in 2K sandwich IM and in extrusion, which is supplemented by high quality outer layers, and the load-oriented application of cut recycled CFRTP materials for compression molded parts. These approaches complement existing recycling routes and make better use of the recycled CFRTP material. Additionally, a recycling route for dry glass fiber waste and mixed waste from dry glass and carbon fibers via nonwoven production will be developed. The approaches investigated in this project enhance the toolkit of recycling technologies for CFRTP and DFW further. The second target is a systematic assessment, evaluation, and comparison of different mechanical recycling value chains to identify the best options for different fiber reinforced components and DFW regarding ecological impact, costs, and important material properties (e.g. mechanical properties). Based on the systematic assessment transparency on the evaluated mechanical recycling value chains is created and recommendations for the industry – especially small and medium sized enterprises (SME) – are derived.

To achieve the above targets the research performing organizations KTI, TITK and Sirris and the associations WNR and Sirris will jointly work on two pillars: Experimental investigations are carried out to develop new, innovative mechanical recycling approaches as well as to gather data on mechanical recycling and a value chain assessment will provide insights into the economic, ecologic, and technical feasibility of mechanical recycling approaches. This setup of the project enables SME to take sound decisions on their future recycling strategies for CFRTP and DFW based on data.

Consequently, the project contributes to transform the linear composite value chains to circularity as well as to the European target to become a circularity-oriented continent by 2050 and the United Nation’s sustainability targets.

Forschungsthema:

Influence of edge crack sensitivity and fatigue behavior of cellulose-based material - Cottonid - in relation to different cutting technologies (Cotto4Cut)

Forschungsstelle 1:

Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkzeugmaschinen und Umformtechnik

Forschungsstelle 2:

Technische Universität Dortmund/Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffprüftechnik

Forschungsstelle 3:

Türkisch-Deutsche Universität/Materialwissenschaften und -technologie

Forschungsvereinigung 2:

PAGEV - Turkish Plastics Industry Foundation

Laufzeit:

01.03.2024 - 28.02.2026

Kurzfassung:

Exploitation of finite resources and climate change are critical consequences of industrialization and lead to the urgent demand for new approaches concerning sustainable materials. Since industrial processes and products are heavily resource and energy consuming, new approaches in this field can make a considerable contribution to increase sustainability in engineering. Further, the possibility of ecological recirculation of the used resources during production as well as at the end of the product lifetime is an important topic to reduce pollution due to non-degradable and environmentally harmful materials. To solve these challenges, cellulose-based biocomposites are a promising material class. Cottonid is a fully cellulose-based biocomposite, which was already patented before industrialization as the first modified natural material, with high technological potential because of its physical and mechanical similarities to technical plastics and light metals (e.g. aluminum). The material is well known since the 19th century and was mainly used as construction and packaging material. In the beginning of the 20th century, it was replaced by synthetic plastics in most technical applications and therefore can nowadays mostly be found in niche applications. To open the market potential of this promising material, it is necessary to perform application-oriented research. E.g. up to now it was not investigated, how different cutting technologies, i.e. shear cutting as the most cost-effective and industrially widespread process, laser cutting (thermal influence) or waterjet cutting (no thermal influence) have an impact on the edge quality of Cottonid components and therefore on the crack initiation, propagation, and mechanical behavior, respectively. Values for quasi-static and fatigue loading were determined on milled specimens, which acts as the reference technology in this project. Based on the influence of different cutting technologies, the mechanical performance of two Cottonid materials, homogeneous and bonded, shall be comparatively evaluated, since bonded material has process-related advantages with regard to energy, time, and cost efficiencies.

The main benefits of the gained knowledge are:

• Technological qualification of a sustainable alternative material for various industrial applications

• Substitution potential of resource and energy consuming materials like plastics and light metals

• Implementation of a cost-effective and industrially widespread process by shear cutting

• Transfer of edge crack theories of sheet metal materials on a cellulose-based biocomposite

The project consortium consists of the following partners and corresponding fields of expertise:

• TU Dortmund University - Chair of Materials Test Engineering (WPT): Advanced Experimental Techniques, Lifetime Prediction, Quality Assurance, Sustainable Materials

• Turkish-German University (TGU) - Department of Materials Science and Technology: Material Science, Metallic Materials, Composites, Abrasive wear, Nanoscale Characterization

• Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU): Sheet Metal Forming Technologies, Cutting Technologies, Process Design (FE-Simulation), Lightweight Materials

The gained knowledge is mainly aimed for applications within the textile and paper industry (e.g. packaging industry), as well as in the transport industry (automotive, rail and aerospace) and electronic industry. It will be possible for the targeted SMEs to open application areas through optimized machining possibilities of different Cottonid materials. Further, application impetus to different economic sectors, especially for SMEs which are working in the fields of laser and water jet systems as well as tool manufacturing can be expected, enabling them to fulfill the demand for economic approaches to reduce the environmental impact of industrial processes and products.

Forschungsthema:

Forschungsstelle:

Laufzeit:

01.11.2023 – 31.10.2025

Forschungsthema:

Verpackungen aus dreidimensional geformten Cellulose-Composites (3DCell)

Forschungsstelle 1:

TU Dortmund, Fakultät Maschinenbau, Fachgebiet Maschinenelemente

Forschungsstelle 2:

TU Dortmund, Fakultät Bio- und Chemieingenieurwesen, Lehrstuhl Feststoffverfahrenstechnik

Forschungsstelle 3:

TU Dresden, Institut für Naturstofftechnik, Professur für Holztechnik und Faserwerkstofftechnik

Forschungsstelle 4:

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft e.V., Fraunhofer-Institut für Verfahrenstechnik und Verpackung, Institutsteil Verarbeitungstechnik IVV-DD FhG

Laufzeit:

01.07.2023 - 30.06.2025

Forschungsthema:

Wirtschaftliche Herstellung von Naturfaserbasierten Sheet Molding Compounds für Formteile mit hohen Brandfestigkeitsanforderungen in Transportanwendungen

Forschungsstelle:

FhG Werkzeugmaschinen, Umformtechnik, Chemnitz
FhG Angewandte Polymerforschung, Potsdam
HS Zittau, Maschinenwesen/Konstruktionslehre

Laufzeit:

01.06.2022 - 31.05.2024

Forschungsthema:

Biobasierte Reaktivharze für teilautomatisierte Verarbeitungsverfahren

Forschungsstelle:

FhG Angewandte Polymerforschung, Potsdam

Laufzeit:

01.07.2022 - 30.06.2024

Forschungsthema:

Ressourceneffizienz im Fahrzeuginnenraum

Forschungsstelle:

Thüringisches Institut für Textil- und Kunststoff-Forschung e.V.

Laufzeit:

01.02.2022 - 31.01.2024

Forschungsthema:

Weidengewebeverstärkter Kunststoff mit variabler Gewebedichte für Fassadenelemente im textilen Holzbau (VOTO)

Forschungsstelle:

Universität Kassel

Institut für Werkstofftechnik – Fachgebiet Kunststofftechnik

Universität Kassel

Institut für Architektur – Fachgebiet Bildende Kunst, Gestaltung und Darstellung

Laufzeit:

01.03.2021 - 31.12.2023