(C) Fraunhofer IGB
Sustainable & biogenic materials
We focus our research around building blocks derived from biogenic materials such as arthropod exocuticle. The picture to the left shows larvae cuticles which can be used to derive chitosan
Use chemistry to get structural materials…
These building blocks are processed and changed in a way that we can obtain a structural material that could be potentially useful for building applications.
You see a sheet made of fungal mycelium here, a new kind of bioplastic, fully renewable and biodegradable.
(C) Sebastian Wachsmann/ACS
…towards functional materials.
We create biofoams, bioadhesives, biomembranes, biopolymer colloids and investigate their biodegradation behavior (ISO 20200) and flammability.
Make bioinspired responsive materials…
Additional chemical synthesis allows that the “dumb” biogenic building blocks are connected in a way so that they respond to an external stimulus such as light to change their mechanical properties or water vapor permeation.
Nils v. Seggern
…towards living materials
As an overall vision we aim to implement materials in living systems, so that the future building could work in a more symbiotic way with the living nature such as a tree. Conventional materials are already used to exploit living organisms in buildings such as the BiQ house in Hamburg on the right.