We visited the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF. Professor Xiaoqing Zhang from Tongji University, currently a guest at our Department of Measurement and Sensor Technology, accompanied us. Our group consisted of members from the Measurement and Sensor Technology (MUST) research group at TU Darmstadt, representatives from TH Aschaffenburg involved in a joint DFG project, including Heinz von Seggern, Emeritus from the “Electric Materials” department in Material Science, and Professor Gerhard Sessler, Professor Emeritus from the Department for Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at TU Darmstadt, and co-founder of the “Electrets and Functional Dielectrics” department at Tongji University. Together, we engaged in interesting discussions with researchers and staff at Fraunhofer LBF.

During our visit to the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF, current research projects from all participating research groups were presented. The focus was on sensor technology and potential applications in the field of energy harvesting. A key highlight was the DFG-funded project “Biodegradable and environmentally friendly sensors based on polylactic acid ferroelectrets with adjustable lifespan” (German Research Foundation (DFG) – Project Number 509096131, Biodegradable). In this project, the Measurement and Sensor Technology (MUST) research group at TU Darmstadt and representatives from TH Aschaffenburg presented results on PLA-based polymers. Additionally, previous collaborative projects and current initiatives such as the “ReSaMon” joint project were introduced. The “ReSaMon – Resource-efficient sandwich elements through non-destructive monitoring for lightweight construction” project includes sub-projects focused on describing the aging and failure behavior of PIR foams, providing a solid foundation for further cooperation through its characterization capabilities ReSaMon. Professor Zhang also presented ongoing research on new ferroelectret structures and materials, which align well with these characterization capabilities and inspire further ideas for joint collaboration.

The longstanding and trusting collaboration between the Technical University of Darmstadt and Tongji University in Shanghai, which began with a cooperation agreement in 1980, spans across various departments at TU Darmstadt and involves all stages of academic careers—from students to young researchers and professors. This ongoing partnership proves fruitful for various fields and aligns well with our current research projects (More). In particular, the DFG-funded project “Biodegradable and environmentally friendly sensors based on polylactic acid ferroelectrets with adjustable lifespan” finds a fitting complement in this collaboration.