The BMFTR-funded research project Power2Polymers, coordinated by RWTH Aachen University, demonstrates how industrial waste gases can be put to good use. Project partner Prefere Paraform has now succeeded in processing two tonnes of sustainable methanol into paraformaldehyde. This will result in novel polyhydric alcohols (polyols) that can be used in adhesives, coatings, lubricants and sealants.

Carbon fibres are lightweight, extremely stable and resistant, making them particularly suitable for lightweight construction. This high-tech material is not only used in aerospace. Wind turbines and many sports equipment items such as skis and tennis rackets are also made from it. Until now, however, carbon fibres have been made from acrylonitrile, a key petroleum-based raw material used in the manufacture of lightweight products.

Microorganisms are the invisible helpers in agriculture. They supply soil and plants with important nutrients, improve soil structure and can keep pathogens at bay. Soil microbes thus make an enormous contribution to preserving the ecosystem. An international research team led by Geisenheim University shows why this microbe-plant interaction is so important and how it can be saved.

Whether it's schnitzel, steak or bratwurst: many meat products are sold in plastic film or containers so that they survive transport undamaged and have a longer shelf life. But how can food waste and environmental pollution caused by plastic waste be reduced? In the EU project MATE4MEAT, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV are working with partners from five countries to set new standards for food packaging.

As there is a shortage of labour in many places during the harvest, research teams are working on harvesting robots to support agricultural businesses. The Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) in Potsdam is now testing a new type of 3D laser scanner system developed by researchers at Julius Maximilian University (JMU) in Würzburg. It is designed to accurately record the condition of plants and help determine the right time to harvest. The aim is to improve the sensor technology of robots.

Wood is an important material for the construction industry. However, not all wood waste can be recycled to reuse the raw material. As part of the EU project ‘CIRCULAR-C’, an international research team, including the Steinbeis Europa Centre and the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research, aims to develop innovative bio-based compounds for wood panels, paving the way for a more sustainable and circular construction industry.

Anaerobic microorganisms are among the oldest living organisms on earth. As oxygen is life-threatening for them, they have developed special metabolic pathways that enable them to survive in oxygen-free regions such as the human gut or volcanic swamps. The ability to bind carbon is also particularly efficient in anaerobic microorganisms. The enzyme complex carbon monoxide dehydrogenase/acetyl-CoA synthase (CODH/ACS) plays an important role here.

Robots, sensors, drones and artificial intelligence (AI) already offer agriculture the opportunity to make work in the field and in the barn more efficient and sustainable. The use of these digital helpers is now being specifically supported in Lower Saxony as part of two major projects to drive forward the transformation of the agricultural and food industry in the state.