Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS
Industrial production causes environmental damage by polluting soil, air and water – raw materials and energy are consumed, chemicals are used, waste and emissions are generated. At Fraunhofer IWS we support the change from a linear to a circular economic system combining economy with ecology and strengthening the competitiveness of companies. Functional surfaces are a prime example of what we are able to achieve for and with our customers. They help to increase the service life of components or to dispense with the use of environmentally harmful media. We have developed, for example, anti-fouling coatings for offshore applications and self-cleaning functional surfaces by means of laser-based processes.
The acceptance and future prospects of modern electric drive concepts also depend on the possibility of recycling used batteries in a resource-conserving and environmentally compatible way. We close loops in electromobility, for example, through emission analyses and filter solutions for environmentally compatible recycling processes. We also provide gas and particle analyses to detect and analyze pollutants in the air. With appropriate extraction and filter solutions, we help to create safer workplaces in production.
