Fraunhofer UMSICHT at K 2025: Sustainable Plastics Innovations for the Circular Economy

Fraunhofer UMSICHT presents innovative, sustainable plastics solutions at K 2025 in Düsseldorf. Highlights include biodegradable films from fruit residues, bio-based flame retardants for electronics, and conductive polymer films for hydrogen and heating applications – paving the way for a circular plastics economy.

With the exhibit "A Matter of Fruit", Fraunhofer UMSICHT and designer Verena Brom present a joint development: apple pomace from juice production is used to create biodegradable film with leather-like characteristics.

The foundational concept and film development come from Verena Brom, who initiated the project and co-founded the start-up A Matter of Fruit. In a Fraunhofer-funded collaboration, her expertise in transforming apple pomace into films was combined with Fraunhofer UMSICHT's know-how in continuous plastics processing, enabling the concept to be further developed with a view towards industrial scalability.

Flame retardants are essential in electronics and textiles, but many conventional ones are ecologically harmful. The project "Bio-Phy-FR" introduces a phytic acid-based alternative: a bio-based, environmentally friendly flame retardant for use in the plastics and textile industries.

In the project "Humic mulch", UMSICHT researchers developed a biodegradable mulch film enriched with humic substances. These films enhance vegetable growth, reduce water evaporation, and disintegrate into the soil along with the nutrients at the end of the season – boosting both sustainability and yield.

Researchers at Fraunhofer UMSICHT developed ultra-thin composite bipolar plates for fuel cells and electrolysers using a patented powder-to-roll process. These thermoplastic-based materials allow for seal-free stacks, reducing assembly complexity, material waste and costs.

In the "Power2Heat Compounds" project, UMSICHT developed surface heating films with tunable rigidity – ideal for diverse heating applications. Another highlight: heatable heat-shrink tubing, a safe, compact solution for pipe trace heating in the food and process industries.