Welcome to the Chair of Plastics Technology at TU Dortmund University!

The research of the Chair of Plastics Technology is guided by the motto

"Tailored polymer materials and innovative processing for sustainable engineering"

and combines fundamental scientific knowledge with engineering methods and processes.

The aim of our research is to develop improved polymer materials and innovative processing methods through the targeted application of scientific and engineering knowledge. In doing so, we use modern methods and procedures that cover the entire spectrum of physics, chemistry and engineering as well as the life sciences.

The Chair of Plastics Technology has a wide range of equipment for processing and characterizing polymer materials. The temperature dependence of mechanical and rheological material parameters, which is highly relevant for plastics processing, forms a central research focus. In addition to experimental investigations (including mechanical testing, rotational and capillary rheometry, tribological testing) and the application of plastics processing methods (including extrusion, injection molding, additive manufacturing processes), modeling and simulation represent an essential aspect of our research activities. In teaching, the fundamentals of materials science and engineering for modern plastics processing and component development are taught. Emphasis is placed on communicating fundamental knowledge in order to gain an in-depth understanding of plastics and their properties on all length and time scales. By applying this knowledge in a targeted manner, plastic products are developed more efficiently and application-oriented issues are solved more quickly.

In material and process development, we pursue a holistic approach that takes into account the entire life cycle of a component, including sustainability, aging and recycling aspects. The development of hybrid components also represents a major topic of our research. Taking into account the specific molecular architecture of the polymers used and the complex mechanisms of structure formation during processing, we explore component properties and elucidate causal principles. The knowledge gained is used to expand basic knowledge in the field of plastics and to improve manufacturing processes and component properties.

You can find an overview of our research areas here.

Through cooperations we transfer our knowledge into application – contact us!

History of the Chair: The Chair of Plastics Technology at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering was established in 2014 and since then has been headed by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Markus Stommel. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Handge succeeded Prof. Stommel in the winter semester 2021/22.