Integrated Polymer Fractionation and Analysis Platform (i-PFAP)

• Subject Area: Process Engineering, Technical Chemistry
• Term: Funded in 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 453715850

Polymers and polymer matrix composites cover a wide range of applications and show a great potential for future application possibilities for new manufacturing methods and product designs. These materials are complex multicomponent systems, where material properties are directly dependent on the molecular structure of the polymer. Strong models are required to fully understand and describe these structure-property relationships. This is necessary for tailoring specific polymer properties based on the respective molecular structure. Today, there is no theory available, which covers the relation of molecular structure and the thermodynamic and rheological properties of the polymer holistically and further allows the prediction of these properties qualitatively and quantitatively. As a result of the reorientation, the Chair of Technical Thermodynamics and Energy Efficient Material Treatment deals with the research field of experimental determination of structure-property-relationships combined with the development of new theories for gaining holistic models, to describe these relationships and predict the respective polymer properties. Present and highly relevant issues and questions in the field of polymer thermodynamics are addressed in the currently planned research projects. The experimental equipment and apparatus, which is available at the Chair, is unable to fulfil the requirements, which are stated in the respective research projects. This is the reason why it is necessary to obtain a new experimental apparatus for determining the structure-property-relationships of polymers, especially for polyolefins and polyolefine mixtures. Based on the new experimental apparatus a major contribution can be made for answering and clarifying highly relevant questions in polymer thermodynamics. The findings, which are made, will serve as a base for new polymer designs and new methods in polymer manufacturing under consideration of the recycling behaviour.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Integrierte Polymer- Fraktionier- und Analyse- Plattform (i-PFAP)
• Instrumentation Group: 1380 Zubehör zur Chromatographie
• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Clausthal
• Leader: Professor Dr. Michael Fischlschweiger