Technology offers: Saxon Innovation Exchange 2021/2
From biogas plant to biorefinery - Combined production of chemicals and biogas
Brief description Innovation:
The DBFZ and UFZ have developed a process for the production of caproic and caprylic acid from regional biomass. This process can be established in conventional biogas plants. The fatty acids can be used in a variety of ways, e.g. in lubricants, as surfactants in detergents or as feed and food additives. The process represents an opportunity to produce fatty acids at existing biogas plants in addition to biogas and fertilizer.
Sought/offered added value compared to previous solutions:
Conventionally, fatty acids are obtained from palm kernel and coconut oil. The developed process offers the possibility of producing the acids from regional, renewable raw materials, but also from residual and waste materials. The coupling of fatty acid and biogas production leads to an expansion of the product range of biogas plants, which can improve their economic efficiency and competitive situation.
Fields of application
On the one hand, the process can be established at existing biogas plants so that the existing infrastructure of the biogas plant (logistics, heat/energy supply, recycling of residual materials, etc.) can be used. On the other hand, the process offers many manufacturers in the chemical industry the opportunity to use the more sustainably produced fatty acids as raw materials in their products.
Wanted cooperations
Potential partners (preferably biogas/plant manufacturers) with an interest in implementing the process
Mini electron emitter for the bioreactor
Brief description Innovation:
The Fraunhofer FEP is developing a special miniature electron beam source that can be integrated into a bioreactor. The novel approach of the Fraunhofer FEP thus avoids the previous disadvantages in the treatment of aqueous media with electrons, resulting in the ability to connect to scalable platform technology for liquid treatment with electrons. The potential applications for the technology are manifold.
Added value compared to previous solutions:
The innovative unique selling point of the resulting small-scale system consisting of a bioreactor and electron beam source is the direct contact between the electrons and the aqueous medium or liquid. This eliminates the energy losses that occur with the technologies used to date. One added value is the scalability of the system.
Fields of application:
Environmental technology (waste water, recycling)
Biotechnology and healthcare (mini-sterilization device)
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
Cooperation partners for R&D projects
CerAM Heater - Ceramic heaters based on thick-film technology
Brief description Innovation:
Ceramic heaters based on thick-film technology are characterized by a highly robust, application-specific adaptable structure and very high achievable heating rates (up to >100K/s). Thanks to the additive production of ceramic substrates (CerAM), it is now also possible to achieve very fast cooling rates by integrating cooling channels.
Added value compared to previous solutions:
Significant reduction in cycle times for thermal cycling as a result of accelerated, active cooling.
Fields of application:
Medicine (e.g. µPCR for corona detection), chemistry, soldering and welding technology, process technology, ceramic housing for sensors
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
We are looking for potential users for public and bilateral projects that require fast heating and cooling cycles or geometrically highly complex ceramic structures with integrated/applied electrical functionalities. The aim is to adapt the developed process chain to the user-specific requirements.
Functionalized layers for water splitting and self-sufficient hydrogen production using sunlight
Description of the innovation:
By means of thermal spraying of suspensions, photocatalytically active layers based on titanium dioxide are applied to different substrates. The new doping of the raw material and an additional structuring of the layer enable the splitting of water using sunlight and thus a highly efficient, clean production of green hydrogen that is independent of other energy sources.
Added value compared to previous solutions:
Photoanodes such as titanium dioxide generate hydrogen by absorbing light and releasing electrons, whereby they are currently only active under UV light (4% of the spectrum of sunlight). Doping and structuring lead to an increase in the efficiency of the materials, as visible light can now be used, thus significantly improving the usability of the materials and the process.
Fields of application:
The coated substrates can be used to build photo-electrochemical cells for hydrogen production. Upscaling of hydrogen generators is easily possible by using thermal spraying of suspensions, as even large areas can be coated quickly and easily.
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
We are looking for partners from industry to develop new areas of application for photocatalytically active coatings, i.e. to transfer the research results, build demonstrators and measure the efficiency of the novel coatings/cells. The aim is to cooperate on future project applications.
Improving heat transfer on electronic components
Description of the innovation:
Application of micrometer and nanometer structures on electronic components to improve heat dissipation with a cooling medium, by increasing the surface area by up to 400 %. Direct laser interference processing is used for this purpose, with which it is possible to structure surfaces at up to 0.9 m²/min. The function of the components is not impaired, as the surfaces are processed in a quasi-cold process and the structures are only a few micrometers deep.
Added value compared to previous solutions
The technology can greatly increase heat transfer to electronic components. When using the technology, the design of the components remains unchanged; it is a surface modification and not a coating. The technology can be very easily integrated into the existing process chain for the construction of electronic systems; no pre- or post-processing is required.
Fields of application:
All electronic components where an improvement in heat dissipation leads to an increase in component efficiency.
Forms of cooperation & cooperation partners sought:
SAB projects, ZiM projects, chip manufacturers, sensor manufacturers
Flexible sensor technology for inherently safe continuous robots
Description of the innovation:
Inherently safe continuum robots are characterized by switchably stiff and highly deformable structural components that are intended to enable safe human-robot collaboration. To control and regulate the robots, flexible sensor technology is required to monitor, among other things, position and deformation, proximity and interaction with the environment and humans. To this end, new sensor concepts are to be developed and tested for integration in highly flexible structures.
Added value compared to previous solutions:
Inherently safe continuum robots enable everyday support of humans by the robot. The flexible sensor technology should enable the control of such robots and new safety concepts, such as evasive maneuvers. To date, there are no inherently safe continuum robots that are ready for the market.
Fields of application:
Robotics for everyday life, assistance, care, medicine
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
Sensor manufacturers for joint research (focus on flexible sensor technology)
Functional printing - additive, automated production of sensors, heaters and antennas
Brief description Innovation:
Functional printing describes digital, additive manufacturing processes with which individual functional elements (sensors, heaters, conductor paths, antennas) can be applied to complex and very large 3D components in a location-variable manner without the need for additional tools, templates or assembly. Components such as bumpers, wind turbine blades, orthoses/prostheses or industrial systems can thus be equipped with sensors, heaters or antennas quickly, cost-effectively and with little effort.
Added value compared to previous solutions
Cost-effective equipping with sensors by reducing assembly work, economical for small batch sizes (up to batch size 1), sensors/heating elements tailored to requirements instead of using standard elements; sensors and heating elements can be applied anywhere that would be difficult or impossible to equip with foil elements (e.g. T-piece for pipes); functional elements can be positioned close to the point of action (e.g. targeted spot heating)
Fields of application:
Industrial and plant engineering (sensors on plant components for Industry 4.0); medical technology (e.g. functionalization of patient-specific orthoses/prostheses/... with sensors); wind energy (e.g. very large sensors for integral structural monitoring (ice/strain)) automotive and rail vehicles (e.g. de-icing of LIDAR and RADAR sensors)
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
Partners: Technology companies along the additive process chain;
Form: joint research projects to further develop the technology;
Partners: Pilot users who would like to equip their products with (additional) functions (sensor, heater, antenna) at low cost;
Form: Feasibility studies; product design, joint projects for application-specific optimization of functional elements
Joining current-carrying connections using magnetic pulse welding
Brief description Innovation:
Electrical connections must have low connection resistance and high current-carrying capacity over their entire service life. Magnetic pulse welding has been proven to produce high-strength, electrically conductive aluminum-copper mixed joints. The long-term behavior of such joints is being analyzed and evaluated in a research project. Based on this, information is provided on the process design for long-term stable magnetic pulse welded current-carrying joints.
Sought/offered added value compared to previous solutions:
Formation of materially bonded joints through high-speed collision of the joining partners without external heat input and macroscopic melting
=> No formation of critical oxidic or intermetallic phases in the joining process; no thermal softening, no heat distortion; simple and safe component handling directly after joining; repeatable high bond quality thanks to good automation capability; no additives or auxiliary materials required
Fields of application:
Production of current-carrying connections for general electrical engineering, electrical power supply, electromobility, etc.
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
We are looking for interested users from the fields of general electrical engineering, electrical power supply, electromobility, etc.
Participation of industrial partners in publicly funded research projects (state or federal funds) as a proportionately funded member of a project consortium or as an associated partner (in an advisory capacity without direct financial participation) possible; alternatively customer-financed contract research based on customer-specific industrial applications
Metallization and electroplating of plastics (thermoplastics and thermosets)
Brief description Innovation:
Development of a chromium (VI)-free pretreatment method for the application of electroplating on thermoplastics and thermosets and generation of a conductive plastic surface
Sought/offered added value compared to previous solutions
Elimination of carcinogenic chromium (VI) for etching during pre-treatment Significantly broader field of application with regard to plastics (not just PC-ABS)
Fields of application:
Metallization and electroplating of plastics
Powder coating of plastics; conductivity on plastic surfaces
Forms of cooperation & cooperation partners sought:
Electroplating companies, plastics processors, plastics manufacturers, plastics finishers, research institutes
Microplastic separation with magnetic filter technology
Brief description Innovation:
A magnetic filter developed in the WIPANO project for the removal of microplastics from water and wastewater is to be brought to market maturity. To optimize the process, tests with different microplastic particles and waters will be carried out in a semi-industrial test facility.
Added value compared to previous solutions:
To date, hardly any market-ready processes for removing microplastics from wastewater are known. Filtration with low hydraulic gradient, thus low energy requirement
Fields of application:
Water treatment/wastewater purification through microplastic separation with magnetic filter technology, e.g. separation of microplastics from municipal wastewater and industrial wastewater, recirculation of process water in industry, swimming pool water treatment
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
Practical: Construction of a pilot plant on a larger scale for partial flow treatment, e.g. in wastewater treatment plant effluent;
Scientific: Modeling of magnetic separation processes
Customized biomolecules for selective material recovery & recycling
Brief description Innovation:
Using state-of-the-art technology, it is now possible to develop special biomolecules for a wide range of applications in a targeted manner. In recent years, the HZDR's Biotechnology Department has developed a wide variety of individual biomolecules that can be used to recover rare earths from electronic waste, remove heavy metal ions from contaminated water and label plastics.
Added value compared to previous solutions:
Specific biomolecules with highly selective affinity enable the binding of individual target molecules from complex mixtures and thus targeted cleaning and recycling.
Fields of application:
Wastewater treatment, solids recycling, biosensor technology
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
Companies and institutes from the fields of material provision and recycling, filter development, environmental analysis
COMPAS non-destructive method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of material properties
Brief description Company:
COMPAS is a service offered by HZDR-Innovation specializing in positron annihilation spectroscopy. This is a non-destructive method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of material properties on the nanometer scale for process and material optimization. It enables the investigation of atomic defects, the free volume of open or closed cavities down to 100 nm and the early stages of defect formation.
Sought/offered added value compared to previous solutions
Defect concentrations of 1 ppm detectable (more accurate than TEM, SEM or AFM and simple sample preparation)
0.1 and 100 nm pore diameters for open and closed pores can be investigated (more accurate than LN2 adsorption and for closed pores)
Structural properties of plastics and their free volume can be characterized (unique method for investigating the free volume)
Applicable for bulk samples with penetration depths from 100 µm to 1 mm as well as for thin layers from 10 nm to 1 µm
Fields of application:
Positron research is non-destructive and material-neutral, which makes it difficult to restrict it to a specific field of application. However, it is primarily used for product or material optimization and cannot be used for process control or quality management of components. Materials that have already been tested include (high-performance) alloys or (next-gen) semiconductors, catalyst carriers, nano/molecular filters, porous additives or chemicals and plastic products.
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
We offer all interested parties the opportunity to use or test our service in the field of non-destructive material characterization for your questions. Let us advise you free of charge to find out more about positrons and your options. Simply send your inquiry to compas@hzdri.de
Flexible magnetic field sensors
Brief description Company:
In order to expand the application potential of magnetic field sensors, HZDR has developed novel high-performance magnetic field sensors on ultra-thin, flexible substrates with high mechanical adaptability. Due to the low thickness and flexibility of the sensors, new areas of application can be opened up. This is particularly true where only a geometrically limited measuring location is available or where three-dimensional objects have to be equipped with sensors.
Sought/offered added value compared to previous solutions:
1/ Flexible sensors on polymer substrates (substrate thickness: 1 µm to >100 µm)
2/ Sensors can be realized on substrates with diameters up to 300 mm
3/ Sensors can be realized on substrates of great length (up to 3 m)
4/ Customer-specific sensor / sensor array layout
5/ Sensors can be mechanically bent with bending radii of less than 1 mm
6/ Stable electrical properties with mechanical deformations
Fields of application:
1/ Real-time monitoring of magnetic fields directly in the air gap of electric drives, e.g. in electromobility, wind turbines, large machines, etc.
2/ Monitoring of magnetic bearing systems in high-precision machine tools
3/ Motion control of robotics
4/ Contactless interactive electronics, e.g. as wearable electronics, intelligent textiles, etc.
5/ Smart home applications (contactless interaction with household appliances etc.)
Forms of cooperation & cooperation partners sought:
1/ Partners for further development / adaptation of the technology
2/ Partner for cooperative application for funding (R&D project)
3/ Partner for the cooperative start-up / spin-off of a company
Smart service platform to support the development and operation of digital services
Brief description Innovation:
SENERGY is a smart service platform for holistic support of the development and operation of digital services based on networked hardware (e.g. sensors and actuators). Companies are provided with a complete solution for this purpose, eliminating the need to integrate individual systems. The platform functions include Device management, intelligent data analysis (e.g. AI/ML), workflow automation, data visualization and provision.
Sought/offered added value compared to previous solutions
Low-code platform, modular service development, data processing in the cloud and locally, AI/ML support, manufacturer-independent, scalable, expandable and flexible open source solution
Fields of application:
Smart Home, Smart Building, Smart City, Energy Management, Building Management, Industry 4.0, Environmental Monitoring
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
Partners for industry, transfer and research projects
Increased efficiency through the use of damage-mechanical computer simulations
Brief description Innovation:
Computer simulations are increasingly replacing time-consuming experimental strength tests of components in machine, plant and vehicle construction. The damage mechanics simulation methods developed at TU Bergakademie Freiberg can be easily implemented and calibrated with standard tests.
Added value compared to previous solutions:
The more precise design that this enables can reduce the use of materials or reduce the intervals between cost-intensive maintenance work while maintaining the same high level of safety.
Fields of application:
Resource-efficient design of components in machine, plant and vehicle construction
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
Reference users from mechanical, plant and vehicle engineering
Atomization technology for the production of an Fe-TiC composite material for additive manufacturing
Description of the innovation:
The innovation of the developed concept lies in a new process route for the production of metal matrix composites by additive manufacturing. The gas atomized MMC powder is suitable for AM processes without additional treatments. This is a significant improvement on the alternative ex-situ process route, which involves a mixture of matrix and solidification powders prior to use in additive manufacturing. The proposed route has already been tested for AM processes.
Added value compared to previous solutions
The proposed route has sufficient bed quality compared to processing of powder mixtures by additive manufacturing; better distribution of TiC solidification phase and fine carbides due to very high cooling rate in all production steps; better quality and clean bonding between matrix and solidification particles.
Fields of application:
Additively manufactured components with complex shapes that have very high hardness, modulus of elasticity, tensile strength and wear resistance. E.g. pump impellers, pump housings, hobs, tools for plastic molds with internal cooling channels, etc.
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
Transfer project programs with the participation of companies. Potential companies are, on the one hand, powder manufacturers who can use the concept of MMC powder production and, on the other hand, users of the additive manufacturing routes of electron beam melting and laser beam melting processes in the automotive, tool and plastic foundry industries.
Augmented reality assembly and maintenance support systems
Brief description Innovation:
Augmented reality (AR) applications for maintenance and assembly support have been developed, successfully validated and commercialized in several research projects. A software suite is available with which AR instructions for a wide variety of assembly and maintenance scenarios can be created and used independently by technicians. Live data access to machine and company data can be integrated. AR telephony software is also available.
Sought/offered added value compared to previous solutions:
Validated authoring system for the creation of AR instructions by technicians; integration and connection of machine controls and PDM systems
Fields of application:
Maintenance and assembly work with a medium to high degree of complexity
Forms of cooperation & cooperation partners sought:
Public research project or direct order
Mechanical production of components up to medium solution sizes and stainless steel sheet solutions in large series.
Brief description of the company:
The WIKOTOOL Group combines the manufacturing services of WEBACO Werkzeugbau GmbH and LFT Metall GmbH. As a group, it is a service provider for the development and manufacture of punching tools, devices, individual parts and products made of stainless steel sheet. We offer everything from a single source, from support with brainstorming to assistance with product placement and the realization of prototypes through to series production.
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
We are looking for committed founders as well as established companies that need a partner for the development of new business areas.
Environmentally friendly solar street light
Brief description Innovation:
Development of climate-friendly, cost-efficient solar street lighting and other solar products. Establishment of production units, sales and training centers worldwide. System is recyclable. Design to reduce soiling of solar modules to reduce service effort and costs. Extra long battery life.
Wanted forms of cooperation & cooperation partners:
Technology partners, financing partners, sales partners
Intelligent charge controller consisting of electronics and software
Brief description Innovation:
in-tech smart charging GmbH specializes in the development and sale of intelligent charge controllers for manufacturers of electric vehicles and charging stations. Over-the-counter charge controllers with "vehicle-to-grid" technology based on ISO15118 and powerline communication.