Press releases 2021 and 2020

The Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS participates in the digital LOPEC 2021 from March 23-25, 2021. The trade show and conference is the most important global meeting point for the printed electronics industry. Fraunhofer ENAS will present inkjet printing technology for 3D components as robot-assisted processes as well as printed components for fuel cells.

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Fraunhofer ENAS at LOPEC 2021

Selective nanocoating using atmospheric pressure plasma to protect electronic components from corrosion

In the ECSEL JU project "Intelligent Reliability 4.0" (iRel40), 75 partners from 13 countries are working on a holistic approach to ensure the reliability of electronic components and systems (ECS) under the leadership of Infineon Technologies AG.

In the course of miniaturization and with the development of modern products, more and more functions have to be integrated into smaller space. In accordance with this trend, the demands on electronic components and systems are increasing enormously. Maximum reliability is required throughout the entire life cycle. This is an elementary requirement for advancing and enabling new technologies in safety-relevant applications. As corrosion damage can lead to failures, Fraunhofer IFAM addresses one key aspect for a longer life cycle: within the "Intelligent Reliability 4.0" project, the institute develops novel protective coatings for microelectronic components to ensure their necessary reliability.

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Dr. Regina Bleul is researching a (r) evolution in cancer therapy.

The project "BioTherNa - Biomimetic thermoresponsive nanomaterials for more effective cancer therapies" was selected as part of the NanoMatFutur junior competition. With funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the biotechnologist and chemist Dr. Regina Bleul had the chance to explore new ways of advancing cancer therapy with her junior research group over a period of 5 years. The aim is to make the delivery of active substances to cancer cells safer and more targeted and to achieve a controllable release of active substances in the tumor tissue.

Today, roughly one in four people in Germany dies of complications from cancer. Due to demographic change, a further increase in these deaths can hardly be avoided without innovative therapeutic approaches. In the so-called first-line therapies, classical chemotherapy is still in the foreground, even though the patients with a serious underlying disease often also suffer from severe side effects of the therapy. Due to the premature release and limited specificity of the mostly highly toxic active ingredients, this is currently unavoidable. Therefore, innovative approaches and procedures are desperately sought, which allow appropriate therapeutics to be brought safely to the desired location and released there in a targeted manner.

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New study predicts increased market penetration for graphene-based applications by 2025.

The development of efficient and gentle methods for the diagnosis of breast cancer based on blood is the focus of the new Graphene Flagship experts from Fraunhofer ISI identify key opportunities in graphene commercialisation after a comprehensive three-year analysis of production methods and potential applications. The results are summarised in two new publications.

What happened to the promised applications of graphene and related materials? Thanks to initiatives like the European Union’s Graphene Flagship and heavy investments by leading industries, graphene manufacturing is mature enough to produce prototypes and some real-life niche applications. Now, researchers at Graphene Flagship partner The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) in Karlsruhe, Germany, have published two papers that roadmap the expected future mass introduction of graphene and related materials in the market.

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Breast cancer diagnosis in real time.

The development of efficient and gentle methods for the diagnosis of breast cancer based on blood is the focus of the new "Nanocellular Interactions" working group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP. The group has been headed by Dr. Neus Feliu Torres at the CAN site in Hamburg since July 1, 2020. She is one of five "high potentials" that Fraunhofer was able to attract in 2019 with its "Attract" program. Using the "Liquid Biopsy" process, which she intends to develop in the LIBIMEDOTS project, it should be possible to monitor the status and course of breast cancer patients' disease in real time.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed tumor in women. Conventionally, the diagnosis is made by biopsy to clarify whether a suspicious lump is a harmless or pathological tissue alteration. The doctor removes small pieces of tissue, which are then examined in the laboratory. The result is available after about four to five days. Tissue biopsies are therefore time-consuming and do not provide real-time information on the status and course of the disease. They are also invasive, costly, painful, and can also be risky.

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On April 1st, the EU-funded initiative FlexFunction2Sustain was launched.

The project, financed by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, will support Plastics and Paper Processing Industry in overcoming environmental challenges while entering the digital age. 19 European partners, including Fraunhofer Institutes FEP, IAP and IVV, unify their competencies, practical and business development expertise and technical infrastructure to provide a wide access to innovative solutions through a sustainable open innovation ecosystem. This Open Innovation Test Bed for nano-functionalized plastic and paper surfaces and membranes will support innovative SMEs and industries by drastically reducing the time-to-market for novel concepts, ideas and products.

Nano-functionalisation for smart and sustainable plastic surfaces

Plastic and paper based materials are used in a wide range of daily life products. Applications represent well established multi-billion Euro markets (e. g. food and pharma packaging, furniture surfaces, membrane-based filter systems, medical products etc.). New business opportunities will arise from replacing glass and metal by nano-functionalized plastic or paper surfaces in many products. That allows the reduction in weight and cost and gains in mechanical flexibility together with additional properties. Such properties include e. g. the blocking of water and oxygen permeation, surface conductivity, antimicrobial and anti-viral properties or chemical and corrosion resistance. State-of-the-art solutions often rely on composite or multi-layer materials. Such composites, however, have a major drawback with respect to their environmental footprint: they are neither fully recyclable nor compostable/degradable. Further, most plastic products are synthesized from mineral oil instead of renewable resources.

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