Sustainability & Circularity

Sustainability and circularity are key requirements for modern material and system solutions today. Innovative methods for developing, evaluating, and integrating sustainable materials and processes make it possible to systematically design resource-efficient and high-performance products right from the earliest stages of development—from requirements analysis and system design to specification. 

Our range of research and development services for sustainable materials and recyclable products

We enable sustainable and circular material and system solutions through material-related measures: from the addition of additives and qualification of recycled materials to the substitution of critical materials and concepts for recyclable metallic and polymeric materials and elastomers. For example, we combine molecular and microstructural characterization to verify material compositions with a component-oriented assessment of the effects on properties, structural durability, and fatigue life. At the component level, we also develop solutions in the form of detachable joints to enable the reuse and remanufacturing of components. This results in sustainable, compliant, and functionally reliable solutions that combine circularity and performance in application.

Specifically, the range of services includes:

• Addition of additives to recycled materials to upgrade secondary material flows (plastics, elastomers) and to ensure functionality in demanding applications.
• Formulation and additive development for recyclable plastics (e.g., material recycling, elastomer recycling paths) with a focus on stability, processability, and application properties.
• Substitution of critical materials (REACH-compliant): Derivation of material-based alternatives – for polymers as well as metals and their critical additives, alloying elements, and compounds. Validation of properties and transferability to parts and components.
• Characterization of material compositions and structures:
  We offer comprehensive characterization of polymers, metals, and composites – at both the molecular and microstructural levels. This allows us to verify the composition and structure of components that are relevant for regulatory purposes and lay the foundation for the selection, specification, and sustainable development of modern materials and components
• Component and assembly evaluation for impact analysis of material measures so that recycling-strategies can be considered from the outset in the development process and implemented in a targeted manner later on.
• Implementation of monitoring systems and fatigue life predictions: Condition monitoring of components and systems as a basis for repair and reuse decisions. 

Research priorities for sustainable and circular solutions with future viability

In order to continuously expand our portfolio in terms of sustainable and circular solutions, we are researching new evaluation, substitution, and material development methods. The focus is on strategies for sustainable material systems and circular value creation. To this end, we are researching the further development of additive concepts for recyclates and the substitution of critical materials, as well as the integration of life cycle assessments into material development. In addition, concepts for mono-material solutions and detachable connections are being researched in order to increase recyclability and resource efficiency.

Our research topics in detail:

• Development of modular method kits and decision-making tools for the systematic application of R strategies throughout the product life cycle so that sustainable solutions can be systematically evaluated and implemented from the initial idea to reuse, repurposing, and recycling.
• Integration of life cycle assessments (LCA): Concepts for integrating user behavior and real usage profiles into the assessment of sustainability and recyclability.
• AI-supported evaluation methods for criticality, material substitution, and decision support (linking material/process/recycling knowledge with evaluation logic).
• Linking simulation results with probabilistic FMEA and microstructural damage models for early evaluation and validation of R strategies in the virtual development process.
• Development of decision-making tools for weighing sustainability, lightweight construction, and fatigue life. Integration of LCA and criticality assessment into decision-making logic.
• Trace analysis for verifying material compositions and critical components
• Monomaterial and detachable joints/structure concepts to enable easy and efficient disassembly, reuse, remanufacturing, and material recycling.