Technologies

VUV RADIATION OPTIMIZES SILICONE PROPERTIES AT THE SURFACE | We encounter silicone elastomers in many different areas. Due to their high elasticity, very good temperature resistance and biocompatibility, they are suitable for a wide variety of applications, for example in medical or food technology. The surface properties of the material, on the other hand, are not ideal and make it difficult to use in certain applications. For example, silicones are susceptible to wear, attract dirt, and can only be bonded to a limited extent. At Fraunhofer IFAM, a process has been developed which allows the surfaces to be modified quickly and flexibly without impairing the excellent mechanical properties of the silicones.

LASER TECHNOLOGY ENABLED STABLE INTERFACES FOR METAL HYBRID CASTING AND PLASTIC INJECTION MOLDING TO INCREASE COMPOSITE STRENGTH | Laser technology offers optimal possibilities for the pre-treatment of surfaces. Researchers at Fraunhofer IFAM have succeeded in achieving a significant increase in composite strength in metal-metal, metal-plastic or plastic composites by means of laser pre-treatment. The high interfacial strengths result from positive and non-positive micro-interlocking between the laser-treated component and the infiltrated metal or plastic. Innovative laser-induced channels on components, which enable complete infiltration with melts or plastics, are fundamental. In addition, production time and costs can be saved compared to conventional joining methods by integrating the joining process into the primary forming process.

Corrosion protection plays an important role in many industries such as medical technology or plant engineering. If, for example, sensitive optics or medical equipment are to be protected against corrosion and abrasion, or if aluminum die-cast housings are to be sealed for long-term durability, transparent plasma coatings are the right choice.

PLASMA COATINGS: CHEMICAL-FREE THIN FILMS FOR NEW SURFACE AND PRODUCT PROPERTIES | The demand for special functional coatings for products and semi-finished products is very high in many industrial sectors - from automotive production and plastics processing to medical technology or biotechnology. Fraunhofer IFAM is researching and developing plasma-assisted coating processes which decisively improve the range of properties of these (semi-finished) products almost independently of the material used. And without the use of chemicals! This makes these processes particularly interesting at present, because it helps companies to comply with regulations such as the REACH regulation or the HSE guidelines.

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.

PRINTED ELECTRONICS AND SMD (SURFACE MOUNTED DEVICE) TECHNOLOGY - THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS | The combination of printed electronics and SMD components opens up new design possibilities and integration options into products. Multilayer circuits can be printed layer by layer on a flexible film and then assembled. This technology not only offers great potential for lightweight construction, but is also an environmentally friendly alternative to the conventional multilayer PCB (printed circuit board) due to the absence of glass fibre composites.

DRY PRODUCTION OF POLYMER-BASED SOLID-STATE ELECTROLYTES | The solid-state battery (ASSB) is one of the next-generation technologies that could replace conventional lithium-ion batteries in the future due to its high energy density. The current challenge is scaling up the manufacturing processes for the individual battery components (e.g. the solid-state electrolyte). Fraunhofer IFAM is researching the solvent-free and therefore dry process route of polymer-based solid-state electrolytes by means of extrusion. The continuous mode of operation promises to implement an uninterrupted processing method in production chains. In addition, extrusion not only offers the possibility of producing on a kilogram scale, but also of reducing potential process costs by eliminating subsequent drying steps.

OPTIMIZING ICE PROTECTION ON AIRCRAFT, SHIPS AND WIND TURBINES BY MEANS OF ANTI-ICING COATINGS | Ice formation on surfaces causes high costs due to increased energy consumption, and lower energy yield. At the same time, it impairs function and safety. Affected are not only aircraft, ships, rail vehicles, and automobiles, but also cooling units and wind turbines. Fraunhofer IFAM is therefore developing and testing application-specific anti-icing technologies to prevent as well as remove icing on surfaces.

DETERMINATION OF REACTION ENTHALPIES OF MOISTURE-SENSITIVE MATERIALS UNDER INERT GAS ATMOSPHERE | The enthalpy measurement of mixing reactions during the synthesis of air-sensitive materials must be carried out under inert conditions and thus places special demands on the measurement setup. One example of moisture-sensitive materials are sulfide solid-state electrolytes, which may be used in future solid-state batteries (ASSBs). To make these materials economically attractive, Fraunhofer IFAM is researching the scale-up of the synthesis process. For the upscaling of the syntheses, reaction enthalpies are required, which must be measured in an inert gas atmosphere.

ADHESIVE FILMS AND COATINGS BASED ON BENZOXAZINE - STORAGE-STABLE AND NON-MELTABLE | Repairing fiber composite components is often time-consuming and requires multiple processing steps and curing cycles of the resin. Typical restoration of the function or appearance of a damaged area is carried out using a wet lamination process or application of reinforcing structures on the surface. Therefore, if an adhesive film or coating based on benzoxazines is used instead this enables comparatively simpler repair and adhesive bonding, with final strength being achieved within 30 minutes.