Innovations from Zittau

The new EINBLICK is here. The current issue of the university magazine covers the wide variety of projects underway at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. In addition to educational, teaching-related and student projects, these naturally also include the university's major research projects.

Like LaNDER³. Find out more about this major interdisciplinary project here. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, it is helping to establish the HSZG as a pioneering research location for natural fiber composites.

If you are also interested in the various aspects of the project landscape and the latest news from our university, you should visit here TAKE A LOOK.

INNOVATIONS FROM ZITTAU

BY SABRINA WINTER

Anyone who believes that innovations are only made at large universities is mistaken. With LaNDER³ the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences shows that forward-looking science is being conducted here. The large-scale interdisciplinary project is full of research spirit and new ideas.

But what does the abbreviation mean? LaNDER³ stands for: Lusatian Natural Fiber Composites, Decentralized Energy, Raw Materials, Resources, Recycling. The basic idea behind it is to use natural fibers from regional plants, such as nettles, flax or green waste. These fibres are chemically optimized and combined with plastics. In this way, the HSZG aims to produce new fiber composites. These materials have many advantages: not only do they have a low density, which is very useful in lightweight construction. They also don't cost much because the fibers come from nature. This opens up an almost unlimited number of applications. LaNDER³ project manager Matthias Kinne lists a few: "You can find natural fiber composites in car doors because they are good acoustic dampers. They are also suitable for skis, safety helmets or violin cases." Because whenever you need a material that has to withstand stress, natural fiber composites are very suitable. Matthias Kinne is a biotechnologist and knows his way around the areas in demand. As project manager, he keeps an eye on the content and makes sure that deadlines are met and the framework conditions are right for the scientists.

A major goal of LaNDER³ is to manufacture products that can be recycled without leaving behind residual materials that are difficult to handle. Let's assume the natural fiber composite is in a car door and the car is driven for 10 years. But what happens to the material afterwards? It should be possible to disassemble the car door back into its materials and use them again. The same applies to the energy required for production as for the materials: it is used efficiently and largely recycled. Waste products from the manufacturing process are to be used for decentralized energy recovery. The large-scale project is therefore developing a decentralized, closed material and energy cycle. This is one of the main innovations of the project. It is certainly one of the reasons why the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding LaNDER³. The HSZG prevailed against 81 other applicants and is the only university in eastern Germany to receive funding from the project. Project Manager Matthias Kinne therefore describes LaNDER³ as a lighthouse project. "We want to inspire young people and show them what opportunities there are in Zittau."

A new central laboratory is being built for the project on the Zittau campus next to the canteen. A shared workspace is important for the project. This will enable scientists from different disciplines to exchange ideas quickly. For this reason, the laboratory will accommodate various departments. The preparatory phase is currently still underway and machines and equipment are being ordered. The laboratory should be ready in the course of next year and bring the scientists together. It will create a lot of space for projects and also open up new research opportunities for students for their final theses.

At the HSZG, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science are involved in LaNDER³. External partners are also involved in the large-scale project. Professor Jens Weber is responsible for the contact between them. He is the partnership spokesperson for the entire joint project. As such, he interacts with companies and scientific institutions that are involved in LaNDER³. These include, for example, ULT AG, BASF Schwarzheide, KSO-Textil, RTT and RCS GmbH. Zittau is also home to the Upper Lusatian Plastics Center of the Fraunhofer IWU - a scientific partner that is primarily available for the transfer of know-how. "This provides us with a large pool of additional scientific expertise on site," explains Matthias Kinne. As the region is primarily home to small and medium-sized enterprises, the HSZG has brought them on board. The BMBF has also rewarded this, as the university is to use the funding to provide impetus for the region. As interest is now growing from all sides, the HSZG is now also receiving requests for cooperation from abroad.

Ultimately, the university's research into natural fiber composites and their innovative potential gives regional companies a technological edge. This means growth for Upper Lusatia and a competitive advantage over other locations in Germany.

The special thing about LaNDER³ is that the federal government can fund the project for up to eight years. "Often you only have two or three years. It is difficult to produce a market-ready product in such a short time," says Matthias Kinne. In eight years, however, it is realistic to develop innovative products and publish the research results. LaNDER³ is currently in the four-year start-up phase. After that, the university can and will apply for a further four years of funding.

As this is a very large project, LaNDER³ is initially divided into three main projects: two impulse projects and one exploratory project. Impulse project 1 is about extracting natural fibres from plants, advancing the recycling of composite materials and researching decentralized energy generation. The project manager is Tobias Zschunke, Professor of Power Plant and Energy Technology. In the explorative project, research will be carried out into how the natural fibers obtained can be ideally modified before being incorporated into a composite material so that the composite holds together. The sub-project is being supervised by Jens Weber, partnership spokesperson and Professor of Physical Chemistry. Finally, impulse project 2 focuses on how new types of natural fibre-plastic composite components can be shaped and refined - energy-efficient and prepared for the digital age. Professor Sebastian Scholz, Professor of Function-Integrating Plastics Technologies, is leading the project.

With LaNDER³, the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences is sharpening its research profile. Until now, "Energy and Environment" and "Materials - Structures - Surfaces" were two key research areas with only a few points of contact. The new large-scale project will enable them to be brought together and intensified.