Magazine

RECYCLING OF FUEL CELLS: ADHESIVE STRATEGIES FOR ASSEMBLY AND DISASSEMBLY | Fuel cells are an elementary component for the use of climate-friendly hydrogen in the transport sector. Fraunhofer IFAM is part of the technology alliance Stack2P in the national project H2Go in the national action plan for fuel cell production funded by the ministry of transport. A central goal is the development of recycling-friendly manufacturing technologies for fuel cells based on the principle of “Design for Recycling” and the implementation in an assembly and disassembly platform for the subsequent transfer of the components into scalable reuse, repair and recycling concepts. The goals are to increase product quality and reduce the product development cycle and development costs as well as reduce production errors.

TECHNOLOGIES FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF HYDROGEN | As a versatile energy carrier, hydrogen will play a key role in the long-term success of the energy transition. Fraunhofer IFAM is working with project partners in the flagship hydrogen project TransHyDE to further develop and test technologies for the transport and storage of hydrogen. LOHC technology (liquid organic hydrogen carrier) plays an important role in this.

The challenges and solutions for the use of drones in industrial, university and civil sectors require an orderly and coordinated use of the corresponding airspace. To make this possible, a real laboratory is planned on the basis of the implementing regulation EU-2021/664: Based on the U-Space concepts, an integrative airspace for manned and unmanned aviation is to be created.

PFAS-FREE ALTERNATIVES IN THE EVENT OF A PFAS BAN IN THE EU | The EU-wide ban on perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS for short) planned by the ECHA is currently causing a great deal of concern among many companies. PFAS are characterized by outstanding technical properties and are therefore used in a wide variety of industries. However, it is now known that the chemicals accumulate in humans and the environment and have negative effects on ecosystems and health. Due to the impending ban on PFAS, alternatives with comparable properties are in demand. Fraunhofer IFAM has been working on the development of fluorine-free coatings for many years and offers sustainable solutions for anti-stick, anti-friction, and hydrophobic coatings.

District heating plays a major role in the energy transition. Compared to decentralized heating systems, centralized heat generation in conjunction with a heat network enables the integration of renewable heat sources and is a cost-effective alternative, especially in densely populated urban areas. Planning and expanding of the piped heat supply is therefore essential for the energy transition.

Aviation in Europe must be climate neutral and sustainable along the entire value chain by 2050. To achieve this, climate neutral aircraft must be available from 2035. New materials and manufacturing processes are also a key prerequisite for this.

In the “Resorbable Molybdenum Temporary Cardiac Electrodes” project or short ReMoTe CarE, researchers of Fraunhofer IFAM together with the Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, are developing resorbable pacing leads. This novel approach can significantly reduce risk factors after cardiac surgery.

Sustainable solutions for the reduction, reuse and recycling of carbon are essential to achieve the long-term goal of climate neutrality. Renewable raw materials must form the basis for polymeric materials. Current research approaches show that this is possible.

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft aims to identify trends and needs in the German industry in order to offer fast and forward-looking solutions. In this context, the Fraunhofer lead projects play an important role. Their aim is to quickly transform original scientific ideas into marketable products. The FutureCarProduction lead project has now been launched under the leadership of Fraunhofer IFAM.

Decarbonization poses challenges for our modern industrial society. In particular, we will have to decouple our increasingly volatile energy generation and consumption much more strongly through sector coupling and storage options, as well as using hydrogen as a material carrier. Electrochemistry is a key competence for both electrical energy storage and the hydrogen economy.