Running Projects

The integration of recyclates from plastic packaging waste (PCR) into the production of new equivalent products remains a major challenge and represents a promising approach to increase the required recycling rate of 50%.

Therefore, the Pack2theLoop project aims to recycle plastic packaging made from polyolefins and polystyrene, which is then used in the production of new food and cosmetic packaging in order to close the value chain.

The innovation goals are (1) the development of quality-assured recyclates from PCR packaging while ensuring the mechanical processability and the chemical and biological safety assessment, (2) the demonstration of the closed cycle in the course of defined use cases, (3) the establishment of "Design for/ from recycling" as the key to future and recyclable packaging, (4) as well as the development of a common language of the plastics/waste management/recycling sector through cooperation along the entire "plastics" value chain".

Funding Organisation: FFG, cooperation partners 4 scientific institutions project coordination ecoplus and more than 20 participating companies.

The aim of the project is a fundamental and systematic approach to investigating the interaction between microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of engineering thermoplastic materials. A systematic evaluation of wear and friction is carried out with regard to the various material-related parameters of hardness, yield point, elongation at break and fracture toughness. This makes a significant contribution to sustainable tribology. The right material for specific applications and loads reduces wear and also increases the service life of the components

Funding Organisation: Vienna University of Technology, innovative project

The aim of the project is to evaluate different analytical methods for determining the polyolefin content of feedstock for chemical recycling.

Sponsor: OMV AG

The aim of the project is the upcycling of expandable polystyrene (EPS) using reactive extrusion.

Sponsor: Sunpor GmbH

Expired projects

Characterization and evaluation of the recyclability of polymer multilayer packaging, FFG Project

Recycling Healing PolyOlefins (RHO)

Component testing of lightweight structures (in cooperation with industrial partners)

Testing of 2PP materials for industrial applications (in cooperation with industrial partners)

Tribological characterization of polymers (innovative project, funded by TU Wien)

Rheological characterization of plastic melts (own research)

Upcycling of polypropylene (innovative project, funded by TU Wien)

Fatigue of rubber composites (in cooperation with industrial partners) deWaLop - Developing Water Loss Prevention (EU project Austria-Slovakia)

Characterization of polymers for medical technology (in cooperation with MedUni Innsbruck)

Scientific work

Ongoing dissertations

Plastics recycling economy: Potentials and uncertainties taking into account technical and social science aspects, Schlossnikl J.

Recycling & Waste Management: Reduction of Material Varieties, Bichler L. P.

Interfacial influences of electrically insulating, thermally conductive polymer matrix composites (Wolfsgruber, N. in cooperation with TCKT and industrial partners)

Polymer Blends in view of various packaging recycling aspects, Seier M.

Development of continuous glass fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites for high speed diaphragm forming, Kiss P.

Completed

Blends of post-consumer recycled polypropylene (PP)/polyethylene (PE): rheology, morphology and mechanics (Karaagac, E.;)

Development and characterization of endless glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (Kiss, P.; in cooperation with FH-Wels)

Upcycling of polypropylene and polypropylene blends via reactive extrusion (Stanic, S.;)

Characterization and evaluation of the recyclability of polymer multi-layer packaging (Seier, M.; ongoing)

Optimization of the polyethylene recyclate quality of clean industrial waste (PIW), and mixed fractions of municipal waste (PCW) (Roitner, J.; ongoing)

Gender-specific influences on the service life of load-bearing joint implants (Örs Ünsal, A.; 2020)

Material characterization of dynamically highly stressed composite components using a leaf spring from automotive engineering (Panaitescu, I.; 2019)

Characterization of the aging behavior of polymers for photovoltaic applications (Voronko ,Y.; 2018) Innovative polymer recycling (Kamleintner, F.; 2017)

Service life determination of rubber composite components (Seichter, S.; 2017)

Tribological characterization of thermoplastics (Petrica, M.; 2016)

Material and process development of thermoplastic support bodies for the production of fiber composite hollow components in the RTM infusion process (Staffenberger, T.; 2014)

Effect of ethanol content fuels on the engineering thermoplastics (Yeganeh, S.; 2014)

Fatigue and crack growth of elastomer materials under practical stress (Stadlbauer, F.; 2014)

Development of a material formulation for the robotic rehabilitation of leaky sockets in drinking water supply lines (Schoberleitner, C.; 2013)

Production and evaluation of active antimicrobial polymer films for food packaging (Fleischberger, C.; 2013)

Characterization of Defects in Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Laminates and Pultruded Profiles (Rodríguez-Hortalá, M.; 2013)