The PCCL-K1 is a COMET Centre that develops innovative solutions for global challenges in the field of polymer-based materials. Its focus lies on recycling and reusing various polymers, increasing energy and material efficiency in production processes, and developing durable and sustainable products. In addition, bio-based polymers for technical applications are being researched. By using modern methods such as simulation, data-driven approaches, and artificial intelligence, the productivity of industry is enhanced and a significant contribution to the circular economy is made.
At the COMET Centre, scientific and industry partners collaborate closely in a total of 16 cooperative projects. The project consortia are predominantly multilateral, bringing together multiple industrial and research partners. In addition, strategic research projects are carried out exclusively by scientific partners. This enables a flexible yet goal-oriented form of collaboration that addresses both application-oriented and fundamental research questions.
Poject Manager
- Dr. Elisabeth Ladstätter, CEO
- Priv.-Doz.Dr. Sandra Schlögl, Scientific Director
Industry Partner (alphabetical order)
- ANDRITZ Fabrics and Rolls GmbH
- AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG
- Baumit Beteiligungen GmbH
- Borealis GmbH
- Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Bamberg
- Durst Austria GmbH
- FACC Operations GmbH
- Fibron Pipe GesmbH
- Fischer Sports GmbH
- HANSA-FLEX Hydraulik GmbH
- Isovolta AG
- Julius Blum GmbH
- KIAS Recycling GmbH
- Liebherr-Hausgeräte Lienz GmbH
- MAM Health & Innovation GmbH
- "OTTRONIC" Regeltechnik Gesellschaft m.b.H.
- Pankl Racing Systems AG
- PreZero Polymers Austria GmbH
- RICO – Elastomere Projecting GmbH
- SABIC Global Technologies B.V.
- Senoplast Klepsch & Co GmbH
- Semperit Technische Produkte GmbH
- SKF Sealing Solutions Austria GmbH
- UNTHA shredding technology GmbH
- Wacker Chemie AG
Scientific Partner
- Polymer Competence Center Leoben GmbH
- AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
- Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BUTE)
- Technische Universität Graz, Institut für Chemie und Technologie der Materialien (ICTM)
- Technische Universität Graz, Institut für Chemie und Technologie biobasierter Systeme (IBioSys)
- International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE)
- Institute of Innovation in Polymer Engineering (SENAI)
- Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Institut für Polymeric Materials and Testing
- Leibniz-Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe GmbH (IVW)
- Montanuniversität Leoben, Lehrstuhl für Mechanik
- Montanuniversität Leoben, Lehrstuhl für Allgemeinen Maschinenbau
- Montanuniversität Leoben, Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung
- Montanuniversität Leoben, Institute of Materials Science and Testing of Polymers
- Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH
- Politecnico di Torino, Department für Angewandte Wissenschaft und Technologie
- Silicon Austria Labs GmbH
- Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt (Empa)
- Technische Universität München, Lehrstuhl für Carbon Composites
- Technische Universität Wien, Institut für Werkstoffwissenschaft und -technologie
- Transfercenter für Kunststofftechnik GmbH (TCKT)
- Universität Bari Aldo Moro
- Universität Stuttgart, Institut für Akustik und Bauphysik
Motivation
Modern polymer research faces the central challenge of providing high-performance materials and products that are at the same time sustainable, reliable, and digitally optimized. Increasing demands for resource efficiency, climate protection, and a circular economy require a fundamental shift from fossil-based, linear material systems toward circular and sustainable solutions. At the same time, technical requirements for polymer components in terms of service life, safety, and functionality in demanding applications are continuously increasing. In parallel, ongoing digitalization is opening up new possibilities to design material development, production, and quality assurance in a data-driven, efficient, and highly precise manner.
Against this background, the motivation arises to integratively combine these three development directions—sustainability, performance, and digitalization. The aim is to fundamentally improve polymer-based materials and systems along their entire life cycle, from raw material selection to use and recycling, as well as digital development and monitoring. The research objectives are therefore derived from the ambition to systematically integrate ecological responsibility, technical excellence, and digital innovation in polymer engineering, thereby making a significant contribution to a sustainable and future-oriented industry.
Main goals
Circularity and Sustainability
- Substitution of fossil-based raw materials with bio-based and sustainable polymer materials
- Improvement of recycling processes and enhancement of the quality of polymer recyclates
- Development of methods for traceability and optimization of material cycles
Functionality and Reliability
- Improvement of lifetime prediction and failure analysis of polymer-based components
- Increase in energy and material efficiency in technical polymer applications (e.g., seals, piping systems)
- Development of reliable and safe high-performance materials and systems
Digital Solutions in Polymer Technology
- Use of AI for automated defect detection and intelligent quality control
- Development of virtual models for simulating and predicting material behavior and degradation
- Application of data-driven methods to accelerate material development and evaluation
Goals and approach
In Area 1 Circularity and Sustainability, the focus is on the development of bio-based and functionalized polymer materials as substitutes for fossil-based raw materials, as well as on innovative recycling strategies for thermoplastics and elastomers. AI-supported sorting and analysis systems improve the quality of recyclates, while new approaches to material traceability and the optimization of recycling processes further strengthen the circular use of polymers.
Area 2 Functionality and Reliability concentrates on enhancing the performance and lifetime of polymer-based components. This includes more precise lifetime predictions for fiber-reinforced materials, more efficient sealing systems with reduced wear, and innovative materials for energy-efficient applications, for example in hydrogen transport. In addition, new safety-oriented resin systems are being developed to enable reliable and controlled curing.
Area 3 Digital Solutions in Polymer Technology applies modern data-driven and AI-based methods to revolutionize material development and quality control. This includes intelligent surface defect detection systems, virtual material simulations, new methods for capturing haptic properties, and the automated generation of high-quality training data for machine learning.
Together, these research activities contribute to strengthening the innovative capacity of the polymer industry and to developing sustainable, high-performance, and digitally supported material solutions.
„ The COMET Centre PCCL-K1 aims to bridge the gap between scientific research and industrial application by efficiently translating innovative findings into practice-oriented solutions. “
Downloads & Links
Success Stories:
- Wenn Kunststoffe leuchten – unsichtbare Innovation mit großer Wirkung
- Von Datensilos zu intelligenten Materialentscheidungen
Funding Body
The COMET Centre „PCCL-K1“ (Project-no.: 904927) receives funding within the framework of the COMET-program of the Federal Ministry for Federal Ministry of Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI) and of the Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism (BMWET). Additional funding is provided by the federal states of Styria via the SFG, Upper Austria, and Vorarlberg. The program is managed by the FFG. www.ffg.at/comet
