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The research project "Holistic processing of plastic recycling paths for resource-efficient and recyclable lightweight battery housings" (Gabriela), in which the TU Bergakademie Freiberg is also involved, was launched with a kick-off meeting at the project coordinator APK AG in Merseburg.

The project is motivated by the EU's Green Deal strategy, which aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The recycling of plastics is set to make an important contribution to the realisation of this goal with the increased use of recycled plastics in new products. Functionally integrated lightweight construction with a high proportion of polymer-based materials already plays a key role in reducing CO2 emissions in the mobility sector. The use of recyclates in lightweight structures can significantly increase this savings potential even further, as the use of primary raw materials and the associated emissions are reduced.

However, according to the project partners, there have so far been major reservations regarding the recycling potential of composite materials such as fibre-reinforced thermoplastics in structurally relevant lightweight components. In particular, the mechanical recycling process currently in use has reached its limits in terms of the quality and processability of the recyclate. It is therefore necessary to develop and present complementary strategies for the use of recyclate and the recycling of thermoplastic-based lightweight components in the mobility sector.

The Gabriela project addresses this problem by developing recyclable battery housings for motor vehicles with a plastic recyclate content of up to 100%. Among other things, the new adaptive recycling technology Newcycling® from APK AG will be used, which enables high recyclate quality. The project is investigating the entire life cycle of a fibre-reinforced plastic battery housing, from material production to initial processing, ageing in use and reprocessing through to reuse in the same component. Industrial partners from all stages of the value chain and three universities are participating in the project in order to maximise the potential of the new recycling paths. 

The Institute for Processing Machines and Recycling Systems Technology (IART) at TU Bergakademie Freiberg is leading the development of the mechanical treatment processes with a focus on sorting technology and thus the planning of the pre-treatment of the material flows. Depending on their origin and composition, the waste is prepared using an adaptive process chain so that the properties of the intermediate products meet the requirements of the selected processing methods for high-quality reuse.

The cooperation with the research network "Plattform FOREL" enables the researchers involved to network across industries and offers optimal scientific and economic utilisation opportunities.

Background to the new research project

The Gabriela research and development project is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) as part of the Lightweight Construction Technology Transfer Programme (TTP LB) and managed by Project Management Jülich (PTJ).

Project start: 01.07.2022
Term: 3 years
Project partners

  • Consortium partners: APK AG (consortium leader)
  • Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG
  • Vecoplan AG
  • iPoint GmbH
  • TU Freiberg / Institute for Processing Machines (IART)
  • TU Dresden / Institute for Lightweight Engineering and Plastics Technology (ILK)
  • TU Braunschweig / Institute for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (IWF)