Geosynthetics

Is it possible to develop plastics for landscaping from bio-based polymers? Can products be manufactured without environmental problems and with controlled degradation? It is exactly these questions, which are important for a large number of commercial products, that the Fraunhofer CCPE is focusing on in its new research area.

In all branches of industry, developers and product designers are thinking in the direction of more sustainable products. Among the many materials being considered, bio-based polymers are playing an increasingly important role. However, there are still concerns about their performance compared to fossil-based products. For this reason, Fraunhofer CCPE is addressing two questions in one of its largest priority projects:

1. Can plastics for landscaping be made from bio-based polymers?
2. Is it possible to manufacture products without environmental problems (microplastics, leaching, migration, etc.) and with controlled degradation?

Research and development will focus on the two bio-based plastics PLA and PBS. Applications include all forms important for landscaping, such as support structures, nets, films and nonwovens, including all processing and characterization steps. One selected application is geotextiles, especially those designed for short-term use (< 10 years) where rapid degradation of the material is required.

Our research and development work is accompanied by soil degradation and ecotoxicity studies as well as life cycle analyses to ensure the economic viability of the research for industrial partners along the entire plastics value chain.

Have we caught your interest? We would be happy to get in touch with potential partners to transfer these results from the laboratory environment into practice. Please simply contact Dr. Christian Schütz.