FachPack 2018

••• 10••• Innovationen Neuer Förderauffruf für Kunststoffverpackungen Neue biobasierte Kunststoffverpackungen für Lebens- mittel zu entwickeln, ist das Ziel eines neuen Förder- aufrufs des Bundesministeriums für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL). Förderfähige Themen sind ein recyclinggerechtes Design und migrationsarme Addi- tive für die biogenen Verpackungen sowie die Erfor- schung der Diffusionseigenschaften von relevanten organischen Substanzen aus den Materialien. Noch decken biobasierte Materialien weniger als ein Prozent des Marktes für Lebensmittelverpackungen aus Kunststoffen ab. Um dies zu ändern, hat das BMEL den aktuellen Förderaufruf veröffentlicht. Pro- jektvorschläge können für Konzeptentwicklungen bis zum 31. Januar 2019 und für industrielle Verbundfor- schungsprojekte bis zum 31. März 2019 eingereicht werden. Viele biobasierte Kunststoffe haben andere Barriere-Eigenschaften als fossile Kunststoffe. Da- durch könnten sie prädestiniert für die Herstellung von Verpackungen sein, die im direkten Kontakt mit Lebensmitteln stehen. Einer neuen Studie zufolge haben viele etablierte und neuartige biobasierte Kunststoffe vergleichbare oder sogar geringere Sau- erstoffdurchlässigkeiten, aber höhere Wasserdampf- durchlässigkeiten als die fossilen Pendants. Letzte- res kann je nach Anwendung ein Vor- oder Nachteil sein und durch Blends und Additivierung ausgegli- chen werden. Eine Ausnahme stellt das Biopolymer Polyethylenfuranoat (PEF) dar, das sich gut für den Ersatz von Polyethylenterephthalat (PET) in Geträn- keflaschen eignet: PEF ist barrierestärker gegenüber Sauerstoff, Kohlendioxid und Wasserdampf und me- chanisch stabiler als PET. Glass marking fights counterfeiting Research scientists develop a exible marking and identication process For the last few years, the rate of counterfeiting has been increas- ing in almost all areas. Apart from financial losses in the billions, counterfeited medications can be fatal. For this reason, the Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V. (LZH) in Germany is working on a flexible marking and identification process which, among other things, can be used to make medications in glass ampules counterfeit-proof. Using a robust and industrially es- tablished marking laser, it will be possible to both individually and quickly mark products with a dis- tinct certificate of authenticity. This can be done during the pack- aging process. This is the vision of the project GLaSIDeE. Scientists at the LZH are working on a pro- cess for anti-counterfeit marking on both flat and curved glass sur- faces. The laser marking process can be used to generate decorative writing, a number, or a two-di- mensional bar code directly in the glass. The markings are only a few nanometres deep. Flexibility is the main advantage, since each part can be individually marked, for example with a serial number, without effort or extra costs. Up to now, there has been no clear identification process for markings on glass. Thus, in this project a special process should be developed with which each part is given its own individual fin- gerprint. The LZH is also develop- ing a reading process for invisible markings. In combination with each other, they will be able to reach a higher anti-counterfeit rate than conventional processes. The project “Glass Marking using the Laser as a Safety, Identifica- tion and Design Element” (GLaSI- DeE) is subsidized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Af- fairs and Energy within the Cen- tral Innovation programme for Middle-sized Businesses. LZH logo and chessboard pattern with diffractive structures Photo: LZH Radars see what’s inside the packaging Precise information due to millimetre-wave module for efficient industrial sensors A compact millimetre-wave W-band radar module that is ideally suited for use in industrial sensors has been developed by re- searchers at Fraunhofer IAF. The radar screens packaged goods and gives precise information about their contents. So far, optical sensors such as la- sers are mostly used for presence detection in the production pro- cess. The disadvantage is that la- sers fail in poor visibility conditions and cannot look behind packaging material. The W-band radar, on the other hand, does not only provide high-precision distance measure- ments in dust, smoke or fog; it even allows a view behind materi- als and objects. Like an X-ray machine that allows you to look into the human body, the radar detects what is inside a package or behind a wall. In contrast to X-rays, however, the short-wave rays emitted by the W-band radar in the millimetre range are not harmful to health. The transmission power of the ra- dar is even 100 times smaller than that of a mobile phone. The combination of the unique properties of millimetre-waves and the compact radar module de- veloped by Fraunhofer IAF offers a wide range of applications beyond industrial sensors. “Radar can be used wherever contact-free ma- terial testing, control of packaged goods or high-precision distance measurements under difficult con- ditions such as restricted visibility are required,” says Christian Zech, researcher at Fraunhofer IAF. The institute has already launched several projects, including safety aspects in human-machine in- teraction, the use of radar in the harsh environment of a steel- work, and safe landing assistance for helicopters. The operation of the radar can be compared to that of an echo. The radar emits signals that are re- flected by materials and objects. Transmit and receive signals are compared using numerical algo- rithms and provide information about what is in front of the radar module at what distance. The compact W-band radar is about the size of a cigarette box. Photo: Fraunhofer IAF