Technologies

LABORATORY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY STORAGE MATERIALS AND BATTERY CELLS | The underlying active materials are the starting point for cost-effective and ecological energy storage devices and batteries with high energy density, performance, lifetime, and efficiency. Fraunhofer IFAM has extensive analytical capabilities for your individual issues. Furthermore, we offer guidance and support in all aspects of material development and validation for electrical energy storage systems and battery cells.

INTEGRATION OF HIGHLY ELECTRICALLY AND THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE FILLERS IN A PLASTIC MATERIAL | Fraunhofer IFAM is specialized in the compounding of highly filled special polymer composites and the further processing into printable composite filaments. For the processing or production of filaments from polymer composites, the institute has comprehensive know-how and the latest technologies and process techniques. The composition of the material (fillers, filler content) and the selection of the base polymer are customized according to the customer's specific requirements.

PRODUCTION OF ELECTRODES AND BATTERY CELLS | The production of battery cells comprises a complex process chain from the powder to the cell. There are many interactions between the individual process steps. Changes to individual process steps therefore often lead to changes along the entire chain. This is all the more true the further up the chain the respective step is located. The use of novel materials, for example, generally requires at least the development of adapted components and matching cell concepts. Fraunhofer IFAM therefore always focuses on the complete consideration of all aspects - from the powder to the cell.

SOLVER BASED SIMULATION ENVIRONMENT FOR TECHNO-ECONOMIC POTENTIAL ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS ENERGY SYSTEMS | The energy system of the future will have to master many different challenges. At Fraunhofer IFAM, a wide variety of energy systems can be observed and analyzed using a simulation environment developed in-house, with the focus on buildings and the topic of electromobility. The simulation environment has been developed in a way that it can be adapted to a wide range of requirements and needs. Individual assumptions about possible future developments can also be taken into account in the simulation and optimization calculations.

The development and evaluation of customized materials and adhesives is a central focus of our institute's work. Adhesives as composite materials play a major role in this. The outstanding properties of these adhesives are due to the fact that the composite has different properties than the individual components. This is also where the great potential lies, because there is a wide range of raw materials that - cleverly formulated - can optimize the final properties of an adhesive. This gives the adhesive certain properties, such as electrical or thermal conductivity, toughness, flame retardancy and also recyclability, which is increasingly in focus.

DO YOU NEED CERTAIN PROPERTIES OF A METAL IN A PLASTIC? | Then Fraunhofer IFAM offers the solution with its developed polymer composites! The special compound technology of Fraunhofer IFAM makes it possible to produce special composites based on a wide range of thermoplastics and elastomers which are, for example, highly electrically and/or thermally conductive.

PLAQUE AND PROLIFERATION ASSAYS FOR EFFICACY TESTING OF ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIVIRAL SURFACES AND COATINGS | Multi-resistant germs have been a serious problem in healthcare for years. Covid-19, an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV2, made the concepts of hygiene and disinfection an everyday topic around the world. Consequently, the need for antimicrobial technologies (antimicrobial coatings, UV disinfection) increased in many entrepreneurial sectors, including healthcare, automotive, construction, and public transportation. This wide range of applications presents different technological challenges. Fraunhofer IFAM therefore tests antimicrobial efficacy against model viruses, bacteria, and fungi according to customer-specific requirements.

The "Center for Surface and Coating Technology" at Fraunhofer IFAM demonstrates the future of surface treatment. The state-of-the-art technical center has digitally linked industrial robots – such as painting robots – for the automated cleaning, pre-treatment, and subsequent painting of component surfaces in small and large structures. The entire process chain is digitally mapped and supplemented by interaction options using virtual and augmented reality. R&D goals include the realization of digitally networked surface technology systems and processes as well as process and quality optimization through machine learning and the use of AR/VR methods.

HYDROGEN BARRIER COATINGS FOR TANKS, PIPELINES AND MORE | For hydrogen tanks and the like, metallic materials (e.g. steel or aluminum) are still predominantly used today, either as solid materials or as liners in polymeric materials, which constitute an enormous additional weight. In order that lightweight materials such as fiber reinforced polymers can also be used for fuel tanks etc., which do not provide a sufficient barrier to hydrogen permeation themselves, Fraunhofer IFAM is developing barrier coatings which strongly reduce the permeability of hydrogen and thus offer versatile possibilities for lightweight construction in the aerospace industry, but also in other areas.

REMOVAL À LA CARTE - SELECTIVELY OR DOWN TO THE SUBSTRATE | As an ablative process, the laser is ideally suited to remove coatings from surfaces and preparing them directly for recoating. This saves time and money, especially in the case of local repair, as the laser can be guided in a very defined way, resulting in an ablation with sharp edges without a mask. Depending on the material combinations and the laser parameters used, a coating can be selectively removed or stripped down to the base substrate while maintaining virtually the same surface quality.