Press releases, interviews and news

Fraunhofer UMSICHT operates a laboratory and technical research center in Dortmund dedicated to the development of materials based on fungal mycelium and has consolidated its research activities on mycelium-based materials under the FungiFacturing® brand. The open participatory lab formerly known as DEZENTRALE has evolved into a research facility with a robust infrastructure dedicated to developing mycelium as a sustainable material.

Practical research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a strong sense of teamwork characterize Tadashi Kadowaki’s work at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. The mechanical engineering student is writing his master’s thesis in the “Power to Chemicals” department and works closely with his team. In this interview, he talks about his path to UMSICHT, his day-to-day research tasks, and why the collegial work environment is particularly important to him.

Advancing the circular economy in the metalworking and chemical industries – that is the goal of the “SäureWert” research project. Recovering acids and valuable resources reduces the demand for primary raw materials and the volume of hazardous waste. This conserves resources, cuts costs, and reduces environmental impact. Fraunhofer UMSICHT, together with project partner FNE Entsorgungsdienste Freiberg GmbH, is paving the way for industrial application.

The UMSICHT Research School was launched ten years ago. Its objective: to support doctoral candidates on their way to a doctorate – within three to four years. The figures show that the Research School concept has proven its worth: To date, almost 90 graduates have successfully completed their dissertations. We spoke to some of them about their experiences, including Dr. Christian Geitner.

Plastics are essential for the electrical industry – they insulate and protect and must therefore be heat-resistant, flame-retardant, and mechanically robust, for example. Currently, fossil-based plastics such as polyamides or polycarbonates are predominantly used for this purpose, and there is a lack of bio-based alternatives. In the recently launched two-year joint research project "HighTechPLA," Fraunhofer UMSICHT works with partners* to develop a bio-based high-performance compound based on polylactic acid (PLA).

Fraunhofer UMSICHT analyzed the environmental impact of sewer pipe rehabilitation for the companies RelineEurope GmbH and Impreg GmbH. The institute used life cycle assessment to compare the rehabilitation of sewer pipes using the liner method (CIPP: cure-in-place pipe) with the replacement of pipes with new concrete pipes.

The UMSICHT Research School is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Since its founding, it has supported doctoral students on their path to a doctorate and provided opportunities for exchange, structure, and support. The numbers show that the concept is working: around 90 doctoral students have already successfully completed the program. In this interview, initiator Prof. Dr.-Ing. Anna Grevé talks about how it all began – and what makes the UMSICHT Research School what it is today.

The electrification of industrial processes is a key lever for greater efficiency, flexibility and climate friendliness in production. At E-world 2026, the Fraunhofer institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT will demonstrate how, for example, the direct use of green electricity in the production of basic materials and specialty chemicals opens up enormous efficiency potential and can make a decisive contribution to achieving climate targets.

The "biovolatil" research project has been launched. A team of researchers and industry experts aims to strengthen municipal energy systems through self-sufficient, climate-neutral energy generation and storage. The new concept focuses on demand-oriented biomass gasification with combined heat and power plants and geothermal systems.

The 8th Conference on Sustainable Chemical Conversion in Industry took place on November 19 in Düsseldorf and virtually as part of the Carbon2Chem^® joint project. Around 170 participants from the academic and business communities, as well as from the political and association sectors, came together to discuss the progress of the project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, and the next steps on the path to climate-neutral industry. The focus was on carbon capture and utilization (CCU).