Fibers represent a remarkably old and abundant material form.  In fact, fibers are important in our individual life, starting from the first day, and, they have profoundly influenced the development of humanity for many thousands of years. Today, the development of fibers with special properties represents a driver of industrial innovation, particularly in high-spec applications. It is our goal to contribute to the research for safer and more sustainable fiber in our living environment.

Due to their importance, we focus mainly on the development of novel synthetic fibers. This focus is economically relevant since two thirds of world-wide produced fibers are synthetic. A synthetic fiber is much more than a simple polymer thread; the performance determining factor of a fiber lies within its molecular structure. Inside there are small crystals, which tie together the polymer molecules; and there are more amorphous regions in a fiber; the interplay between these domains directly determines the fiber flexibility and tensile strength. Along these lines, we analyze and modify the fiber structure on nanometer to micrometer scales using cutting edge analytical tools, and, by controlling the melt-spinning process in new ways. Mastering the interplay of materials science and processing is key.

Profound understanding of chemical bond making and bond breaking is required to synthesize new functional molecules. We focus on “green” and economical synthesis routes as well as the understanding of how molecules disintegrate at the end of the material lifetime. The latter aspect includes ageing or physical disintegration by heat or radiation. In this area we make use of highly modern analytics tools including synchrotron radiation at the VUV beamline of the Paul Scherrer Instittute (PSI). Having this know-how at hand, we are able to tailor interesting properties like corrosion resistance, chemical stability, flame retardency or biological functionality.

The possibility to synthesize customized molecules allows us to finally provide industry partners with exclusivities based on strong substance  patents for commercial exploitation. This is an invaluable asset that helps carry new substances through legal admission procedures like the REACH registration—thus making them available to a range of application areas.

We have experience running collaborative projects with industry, where we can adopt different models for collaboration, ranging from bilateral to national to international schemes. The typical goal of such collaboration is to generate innovation in the form of intellectual property in the business area of the industry partner, which adds to global competitiveness or allows market expansion. Often industry partners obtain exclusivities for their business area of the project partner. If a development or part of it becomes useful in another field of application, this can synergistically help market introduction, e.g. cost splitting for REACH registration.