Business unit Biological and macromolecular materials

Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM

© Fraunhofer IWM

Profile of business unit

On behalf of our clients in the fields of plastics processing, medical technology and biotechnology, we work on innovative finishing processes for polymer films, develop and evaluate surface modification and coating processes for biological and biocompatible materials and apply nanotechnologies with which to functionalize materials.

Range of services

  • Development and evaluation of joining techniques for polymer films.
  • Mechanical testing of films and textiles.
  • Modification of polymer film surfaces using plasma technologies including in-line process monitoring.
  • Interface engineering of biological and biocompatible materials for tissue engineering.
  • Surface functionalization and structural analyses of dental materials.
  • Development and use of nano-pore membrane materials.
  • Investigations into morphology and microstructure of biological materials and plastics with electron microscopic methods and further development of preparation and investigations techniques (cryo-technologies, focused ion beam technologies).
  • Mechanical testing and evaluation of biological and biocompatible materials under physiological conditions.
  • Development of components for biosensors.

Main topics

Projects focus on the development and qualification-for-use of joining techniques for polymer films and the generation of functional surfaces on plastics using plasma techniques and wet coatings. We can determine surface functionality and the relationship between the structure and properties of biological materials (teeth, bones, cartilage) and of biocompatible materials (implants, scaffolds, protein layers) and modify them as needed.

Methods

Mainly imaging techniques such as high-resolution electron microscopy are applied in combination with complementary analytical methods and the appropriate preparation techniques to investigate and evaluate microstructures and the surfaces of biological and macromolecular materials. We use microstructure-based material mechanics concepts combined with the development and application of mechanical and micromechanical testing methods.