Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPECCPE Institutes in Focus: Meet Fraunhofer LBF
What does it take to make plastics truly circular? It requires more than recycling – it means understanding materials, their properties and their performance throughout their lifecycle. Meet Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF, bringing its expertise in polymer materials, recyclates and additives to the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE.
Institute and Expertise
Fraunhofer LBF contributes expertise in recyclate characterization, biopolymers, additives and odor analysis in plastics and recyclates. Its advanced material characterization and testing capabilities help understand how recycling affects polymers – supporting high-quality recyclates, optimized formulations and reliable circular materials.
Research Departments
Fraunhofer LBF contributes across three CCPE Research Departments:
Circular Polymers
The department aims to develop and optimize circular polymer materials. LBF contributes expertise in polymer analytics, recyclate characterization and structure–property relationships, helping improve the quality and performance of recycled plastics.
Circular Additives and Compounds
The department develops additive and compounding solutions for high-quality circular materials. LBF contributes expertise in additive systems, material testing, recyclate stabilization and odor analysis.
Business and Transformation
The department focuses on translating circular solutions into viable applications and supporting industrial transformation. LBF contributes its material and technology expertise to connect research with industrial applications.
Project Spotlights
GREEN – Geosynthetics Made from Recycled Materials
How can recycled plastics become reliable materials for demanding applications?
In GREEN, Fraunhofer LBF coordinates the project and develops concepts for processing and additive formulation of recycled material streams. LBF also conducts aging tests to assess long-term performance. The project demonstrates how PP, PET and HDPE recyclates can be transformed into fibers, nonwovens and membranes for geotextile applications.
CircularInFoam – Sustainable Insulation Materials
Can sustainable polymers deliver high performance without compromising fire safety?
In CircularInFoam, Fraunhofer LBF develops halogen-free, modular flame-retardant systems for sustainable PLA-based insulation materials. Together with Fraunhofer ICT and IBP, the project combines sustainable materials with improved fire safety and industrial scalability.
Together, these examples highlight Fraunhofer LBF's contribution to the CCPE – from optimizing recyclates to developing additive solutions for sustainable materials and demanding applications.