Hand holding a light bulb with a small tree growing inside it against a blurred green background – symbolising sustainable innovation and green energy.

Project reports

The central field of the activities of the IHD is the application-oriented research and development in almost all areas of the raw material wood, its processing into wood-based materials and finished products as well as their refinement.

Find out more about selected completed research projects from our institute.

Biology

Investigation of the mycoremediation potential of fungal substrates as bio-sorbents for the decontamination of heavy metals from industrial wastewater
Project leader: Natalie Rangno

Material recycling options for spruce calamity wood depending on damage progression and wood quality
Project leader: Dr. Wolfram Scheiding

Materials

Development of a method for predicting the target geometry of complex, double-curved plywood moulded parts
Project leader: Tino Schulz

Adhesive-free, material joining of layered woodbased materials by in-situ functionalisation of wood specific components using radio frequency
Project leader: Christoph Scheffel

Chemistry

Development of Isocyanate-Free PU Impregnation Resins for Decorative Papers
Project leader: Dr. Andreas Fischer

Development and Functional Validation of Flame-Retardant Curing Agents for 2K PUR
Project leader: Dr. Andreas Fischer

Development of bio-based light stabilisers for wood surfaces
Project leader: Dr. Mario Rapp

Development of processes for the chemical conversion of organochlorine pesticides
Project leader: Dr. Martin Fischer

High-performance material for electronic card systems in credit card format (TV3)
Project leader: Dr. Almut Wiltner

Investigation of cross-linking systems for renewable raw materials based on polyfunctional, cyclic carbonates for the application of bio-based adhesive systems to woodbased materials and wood composites
Project leader: Dr. Almut Wiltner

Surface

Development of artificial testing agents for testing the resistance of furniture and floor surfaces
Project leader: Dr. Florian Kettner

Functionalised chitosans for use in coating formulations for wood-based materials
Project leader: Dr. Tobias Meißner

Machine-Based Walking Test for Assessing the Electrostatic Charging of Floor Coverings
Project leader: Petra Schulz

Machine-Based Walking Test for Assessing the Electrostatic Charging of Floor Coverings
Project leader: Dr. Daniel Hafrner

Furniture

Development of flexible and directly movable walls as functional complete systems integrated into the building structure for the housing and care industry
Project leader: Clemens Beyerlein

Recyclable design of functional fittings – development of an adjustable and removable textile hinge for wooden furniture
Project leader: Kevin Schlunze

Biology

Development of specific recultivation materials for the qualified covering of mining pits and contaminated soils

Development of a peat-free casing soil for button and other cultivated mushrooms

Non-destructive testing of wooden load-bearing components by combining microwave and ultrasonic methods – UltraTimB

Materials

Lignocellulose lightweight concrete

Wood as motor – Accelaration of the hygromechanical actuation of wood bilayers

The use of recycled wood as an alternative raw material for MDF production

Thermoplastic films for laminated wood bonding using high-frequency heating

Reactive 1C white-glue systems for the laminar gluing of wood

Chemistry

Development of bio-based NIPU binders for wood coatings

Developement of an electrochemical production process for bio-based hydrophobic agents based on the Kolbe reaction

Physics

Development of lightweight laminar sandwich elements of high thermal permeability resistance from mainly renewable resources

Surface

Development of a method for determining the ageing behaviour of veneered components in the automotive industry

Development of a two-stage recycling extraction process for MDF for fibre recovery and other recyclable materials

Development of test methods for the micro-scratch resistance of coatings with novel reference material

Furniture

Evaluation method for the fitness for use of alternative operating concepts to enhance hygiene in public areas

Biology

Development of a DNA-diagnosing tool based on NGS sequencing for the analysis of the genetic diversity of fungi infesting wood
Project leader: Kordula Jacobs

Development of an enzyme-based method for the decontamination of mould-infested paper objects
Project leader: Katharina Plaschkies

Functionalised coatings based on plasma and flame technology for timber in outdoor applications
Project leader: Kordula Jacobs

Sampling, testing and classification methods for the biological durability of wood and wood-based products
Project leader: Dr. Wolfram Scheiding

Investigations on wood decomposition in mineral soil and in and on the overlay of limed and unlimed forest soils
Project leader: Natalie Rangno

Materials

The application of natural binders based on tannin-protein complexes to produce wood-based materials
Project leader: Pr. Dr. Detlef Krug

Development of plant-based wax additives to functionalise particle-based materials
Project leader: Prof. Dr. Detlef Krug

Methods for the reduction of emmisions of volatile organic acids from beechwood-based MDF
Project leader: Prof. Dr. Detlef Krug

Hydrothermal-chemical wood pulping adopting the steam explosion process as the basis for biorefinery application
Project leader: Marco Mäbert

Reducing the density of particleboards by using particles with a modified cutting angle
Project leader: Tino Schulz

Chemistry

Chemical/enzymatic degradation and extraction of chemical substances using supercritical CO₂
Project leader: Dr. Almut Wiltner

Improving the efficiency of production plants for multi-layer solid wood panels and reduction of formaldehyde emissions
Project leader: Prof. Dr. habil. Mario Beyer

Surface

Development of heat-reflecting wood coatings for outdoor application
Project leader: Dr. Tobias Meißner

Natural and antimicrobial extracts from plant residues for use as biobased additives
Project leader: Dr. Daniel Hafner

New coatings for wood in outdoor use with permanently retained flame retardancy
Project leader: Dr. Daniel Hafner

Furnitures

Investigation into the prerequisites for using reworked furniture for public procurement
Project leader: Oliver Bumbel

Development of a procedure to evaluate the suitability and assignment of products with intelligent assistance functions to care processes
Project leader: Susanne Trabandt

Biology

Complexed natural substances as substitutes for synthetic biocides in the field of in-can preservation
Project leader: Katharina Plaschkies

Molecular-biological field diagnostics of fungal pathogens on wood based on isothermal PCR methods using homogeneous colour detection
Project leader: Kordula Jacobs

Quality and assessment programme for outdoor decking of wood – EURODECK
Project leader: Dr. Wolfram Scheiding

Chemistry

Development of hydrophobic beech wood scantlings for construction elements in outdoor use (windows and doors)
Project leader: Dr. Christiane Swaboda

Development of adhesives for solid-wood panels, based on protein-containing residues
Project leader: Dr. Almut Wiltner

Flame-retardant PUR binders for clearcoat applications
Project leader: Dr. Andreas Fischer

Fast-curing, organic-based polyurethane bonding agents
Project leader: Dr. Andreas Fischer

Materials

Development of a short-term method to determine the long-term creep behaviour of WPC on the basis of the temperature-time analogy
Project leader: Andreas Weber

Wood-cement-hybrid systems for wall elements in timber building construction
Project leader: Marco Mäbert

Lightweight laminar plastic composite panel for use as a vehicle windscreen
Project leader: Marco Mäbert

Modular wall/ceiling elements based on wood with an integrated heating and cooling function and rear insulation
Project leader: Tino Schulz

Glue from protein to make low-formaldehyde wood-based materials
Project leader: Andreas Weber

Physics

Acoustically effective origami folding structures of customisable room geometry based on wood/textile composites
Project leader: Heiko Kühne

Development of an adhesive-based joining solution for framed formwork systems
Project leader: Rodger Scheffler

Development of methods for the load-path-compliant design of textile-reinforced veneer ply composites
Project leader: Rodger Scheffler

Fibre-optical monitoring of engineered timber components
Project leader: Jens Wiedemann

Wood-based materials in mechanical engineering
Project leader: Jens Gecks

Textiles meet physics – The application of physical phenomena in textile structures for safety and efficiency
Project leader: Jens Wiedemann

Furnitures

A bathroom for everyone – Development of adaptable equipment for the domestic bathroom
Project leader: Susanne Trabandt

bioxyprint – The bio-foam printer for graded structures
Project leader: Oliver Bumbel

Structural lightweight construction of hardwood composite elements for the industrial manufacture of sustainable functional furniture
Project leader: Kevin Schlunze

Surface

Durable powder coatings for thermo-mechanically modified wood substrates made from native wood species
Project leader: Petra Schulz

Process development for the measurement of the thermal deformation behaviour of floor coverings
Project leader: Petra Schulz

Host-guest complexes of cyclic oligosaccharides and phosphorous compounds as novel flame retardants for aqueous wood coatings
Project leader: Dr. Lars Passauer

Biology

MykoCont – Novel, multifunctional mushroom substrate container for the noble mushroom production
Project leader: Dr. Wolfram Scheiding

Virtual experiments for wooden artwork – VirtEx
Project leader (sub-project IHD): Dr. Wolfram Scheiding

Chemistry

Formulations of PUR hotmelt adhesives with increased polar content for the permanent bonding of materials of different properties
Project leaders: Prof. Dr. habil. Mario Beyer (IHD), Dr. habil. Bernd Morgenstern (FILK)

Methods to avoid contaminant emissions from PCP/DDT-contaminated timber by plasma treatment
Project leader: Dr. Martin Fischer

Furnitures

Development of the method of partial compression of wood-fibre material boards for their mechanical performance enhancement
Project leader: Ronny Lang

Continuous 3D concrete printing of overhang structures with reusable support materials
Project leaders: Paul Blankenstein, Ronny Lang

Materials

Combination drying for the energy and time-efficient as well as material-saving drying of cement-bonded particleboards
Project leader: Martin Direske

Lightweight plaster with lignocellulose additives and reinforcement fibres as a regenerative, environmentally compatible substitute for petrochemical and synthetic materials
Project leaders: Martin Direske (IHD), Dr. Klaus Hoffmann (SAKRET)

Surface

Development of a NIR-based method for the rapid prognosis of the weather resistance of wood coatings in outdoor use
Project leader: Dr. Jana Peters

Development of a method for measuring the smoke volume accumulating when testing the reaction-to-fire behaviour of floor coverings
Project leader: Christine Kniest, Petra Schulz

Biology

Antimicrobial secondary metabolites from Actinobacteria for the protection of material
Project leader: Kordula Jacobs

Property profile and scope of application of fast-growing breeding products (hybrid larch) in the wood-processing industry
Project leader: Björn Weiß

Development of an insulating material based on maize cobs (MaiD II) – Feasibility stage
Project leader: Dr. Wolfram Scheiding

Development of a differentiatting system to determine material-damaging moulds
Project leader: Katharina Plaschkies

Development of mould-inhibiting additives for the film-packaging of potting soils
Project leader: Katharina Plaschkies

More than just insulation – Added benefit in insulating materials made from regenerative source materials
Project leader: Dr. Wolfram Scheiding

Furnitures

Development of an integral, generatively manufacturable suspension system for seating furniture
Project leader: Oliver Bumbel

Development of novel acoustic panels with perforation variable in shape and size by applying laser technology
Project leader: Oliver Bumbel

Development of floor constructions with improved properties to mitigate consequences after falls
Project leader: Ronny Lang

Surfaces

Digitally printed décors on surfaces of wood-polymer composites for outdoor application
Project leader: Petra Schulz

Development of a walk-on test independent of test persons to evaluate the electrostatic charging of floor coverings
Project leader: Petra Schulz

Infrared-reflecting surfaces for improved room comfort at reduced heating energy
Project leader: Dr. Tobias Meißner

Noval coating systems with a permanently antistatic effect for application on resilient and laminate floor coverings
Project leader: Dr. Jana Peters

Physics

Development of a wooden front door with integrated protection against floods and heavy rainfall
Project leader: Rodger Scheffler

Materials

Development packaging applications with laminar materials of fibre-reinforced biobased thermoplastics
Project leader: Tino Schulz

The use of montan-wax-containing additives in the manufacture of wood-based materials from alternative resource materials
Project leader: Prof. Dr. Detlef Krug

Flame-retardant fibre materials equipped with ecological fire-retardants
Project leader: Prof. Dr. Detlef Krug