The institute

The Institute for Polymer Materials and Plastics Technology (PuK) was founded in 1998 with the appointment of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Ziegmann to Clausthal University of Technology. Since July 1, 2018, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ziegmann has served as a senior professor. Dr. Leif Steuernagel has held the administrative position for the Plastics Engineering Chair since October 1, 2022. Since October 1, 2024, Prof. Dr. Winfried Daum has served as acting director of the institute.
 

The institute’s team currently consists of 17 employees in total, 12 of whom work in research and 5 in technical and administrative roles. Thematically, we focus on five key areas that encompass elements of both plastics processing and polymer materials, with the aim of developing new approaches in the context of multimaterial systems.

• Fiber composites constitute the primary research area, with a focus on the implementation and simulation of RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) and VARI (Vacuum-Assisted Resin Infusion) processes.
   
• The second area is flow processes, which addresses methods and challenges in plastics processing such as micro-injection molding, compounding, and the processing of highly filled plastic systems.
   
• The third area encompasses the modification, characterization, and processing of natural fibers into natural fiber-reinforced plastics (NFK). Since 2006, the research group led by Dr. Steuernagel has been working successfully in this field.
   
• The fourth area is additive manufacturing, which focuses on the processing of functional materials in multi-material printing as well as the development of bio-based filaments.
   
• Furthermore, the system recycling of plastics represents a forward-looking area of expertise at our institute, which is being continuously expanded.

In addition to intensive basic research—much of which is funded by projects from the DFG (German Research Foundation), DBU (German Federal Environmental Foundation), AiF (Association of Industrial Research Associations), and EU projects—we are constantly establishing and expanding contacts with industry. This collaboration takes place both through small-scale contracts and through cooperation agreements. This close collaboration significantly drives the transfer of technology and scientific knowledge to industry, enabling us to offer our expertise, innovations, and optimizations for both new and established processes. Our branch office in Stade also works successfully in the CFK Valley with many other companies, including Airbus.