Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV
Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV

Fraunhofer lighthouse project
»Evolutionary bioeconomic processes - EvoBio«

Integrative use of substance flows to create optimized materials for innovative products in bioeconomic process cycles

Project Logo EvoBio in front of sea background
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We conduct research to ensure the sustainability of global resources

 

Throughout the world, non-optimized value chains and processes lead to waste and residual materials that cannot be reused. This irreversible exploitation of global resources has a negative impact on the environment and the quality of life of many people. It leads to a shortage of required resources and increase in their cost.

The »EvoBio« project seeks to develop concepts that enable the transformation from unidirectional chains of action to a fully integrated use of resources in sustainable, bioeconomic and closed-loop processes. The primary goal is the targeted, evolutionary optimization of material and product properties while ensuring full utilization of the resources employed in closed process chains.

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Teaming up for a common goal

18 Fraunhofer Institutes conduct research for a common goal.
 

»EvoBio« is based on three pillars

The new developments emerging in the three project pillars will also be evaluated in the interdisciplinary topic »utilization and sustainability« on the basis of various sustainability indicators and their potential for utilization.

Pillar 1

Substance flows

In a wastewater treatment plant, suitable technologies are employed to treat wastewater in a way that ensures that all resulting substance flows can be utilized to add value. This includes the treatment of sewage sludge to obtain biochar, bio-oil, synthesis gas and nutrients for algae cultivation.

Pillar 2

Materials

In this part of the project, new, functional materials are being developed on the basis of the raw materials obtained in pillar 1 and other biogenic raw materials. This involves, for example, new biobased packaging and plastic additives as well as injection-molded sandwich components based on lignin.

Pillar 3

Products

This pillar focuses on bioinspired approaches for fibers, hybrid structures and surface properties. Developments include biobased fibers for sophisticated technical products, bioinspired hybrid structures and biobased coatings.

Research tasks of Fraunhofer IVV

Pillar 1 – Fraunhofer IVV

Substance flows

  • Extraction of technofunctional additives from the bio-oil of thermocatalytic sewage sludge reforming
  • Extraction of proteins from food industry residues

Pillar 2 – Fraunhofer IVV

Materials

  • Development of protein-based barrier coatings for food packaging
  • Development of microbial coating to prevent unwanted odors
  • Olfactory evaluation of lignin compounds

Funding

 

The EVOBIO project was funded under the Fraunhofer Innovation Program from August 2020 to December 2020. The project was coordinated by Fraunhofer IGB, with Fraunhofer IGB, Fraunhofer IVV and Fraunhofer IAP spearheading the project.