Prof. Dr.mont. Katharina Resch-Fauster (Institute of Materials Science and Testing of Polymers) and her team are working on the development of environmentally friendly epoxy resin systems from renewable raw materials as part of the COMET project bio-ART - a future-oriented alternative to make the plastics industry more sustainable.
For several years, we have been researching the development of high-performance, environmentally friendly and recyclable epoxy resin systems made from renewable raw materials! With 100% biobased carbon content, biocompatible and compostable, our resins show innovative self-healing properties. In this way, we are contributing to a biobased plastics industry and a low-CO2 future!
Katharina Resch-Fauster
Dipl.-Ing. David Zidar (Institute of Polymer Processing), the second top nominee, and his team are looking for solutions to return old winter sports equipment such as skis and snowboards to the recycling loop in the WINTRUST project. The project is coordinated by the ecoplus Plastics Cluster and funded by the FFG.
The project is investigating the recycling of end-of-life winter sports equipment made of high-performance plastics and metals that were previously considered “unrecyclable”. The goals are to analyze processing options, conduct an ecological and economic evaluation, and achieve material recycling.We are analyzing five use cases (skis, boots, helmets, poles), whereby the harmonization of the methods in the LCA is fundamental.
David Zidar
The suspense is mounting, because the decision as to which project will take home the award will be made on October 1 in a festive ceremony. The top three projects will be presented before the winner is chosen.
The H.F. Mark Sustainability Award honors innovative research projects that develop sustainable solutions in Polymer Engineering and Science. The focus is on environmentally friendly materials, recycling technologies and the promotion of a circular economy. The prize recognizes outstanding scientific contributions to sustainability and is awarded to projects that offer forward-looking approaches to conserving resources and reducing environmental impact.
