{"id":8097,"date":"2025-07-31T12:54:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T10:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/student-research-theses\/strong-stronger-starch-using-biodegradable-starch-based-plastics-to-create-more-sustainable-foam-films\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T12:28:47","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T10:28:47","slug":"strong-stronger-starch-using-biodegradable-starch-based-plastics-to-create-more-sustainable-foam-films","status":"publish","type":"cpt_ikv_srt","link":"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/en\/student-research-theses\/strong-stronger-starch-using-biodegradable-starch-based-plastics-to-create-more-sustainable-foam-films\/","title":{"rendered":"Strong, stronger, starch. Using biodegradable, starch-based plastics to create more sustainable foam films"},"content":{"rendered":"<style type=\"text\/css\">\n    #single-header-block_eb0b0b460a613a0c7d1f70544a746ecf .swiperThumbsNavi .swiper-slide {\n        opacity: 0.4;\n    }\n\n    #single-header-block_eb0b0b460a613a0c7d1f70544a746ecf .swiperThumbsNavi .swiper-slide-thumb-active {\n        opacity: 1;\n    }\n<\/style>\n    <section id=\"single-header-block_eb0b0b460a613a0c7d1f70544a746ecf\" class=\"block-single-header theGridWrapper \">\n        <div class=\"theGrid12\">\n            <div class=\" col-start-2 col-span-10 md:col-start-3  md:col-span-8\">\n                <h2 class=\"font-serif font-semibold text-blue text-sm w-4\/5\">\n                    Bachelor thesis or Master thesis                <\/h2>\n                                                    <div class=\"skewToMiddle\">\n                        <div class=\"relative  text-blue text-sm font after:border-2  after:border-blue rounded-xl bg-green-lighter  p-base -rotate-6 my-xl  after:block after:absolute after:w-full after:h-full after: after:-z-10 after:rounded-xl after:rotate-1  after:box-content  after:-top-2xs after:-left-2xs after:bg-blend-multiply  leading-snug \">\n                            <div class=\"skewToMiddleInner\">\n                                As part of your work, you will test various physical blowing agents such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen and blowing agent mixtures based on these to produce low-density starch foam films.                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Foamed packaging films have become an integral part of everyday life. However, they are mainly made of fossil-based plastics and are often released into the environment. In addition, foamed materials are rarely recycled today, but are usually thermally recycled after a single use. The use of renewable and biodegradable raw materials such as thermoplastic starch (TPS) is one possible solution. However, the processing of TPS is severely restricted by its thermal and mechanical properties. Novel starch films are to be produced using the physical foam extrusion process by developing a suitable formulation and process.  <\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\" relative flex flex-col gap-2xs mb-xs md:mb-l xl:mb-xl\"><img decoding=\"async\"  class=\" w-full  \"  src=\"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stuwi-Staerkeschaum-1.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stuwi-Staerkeschaum-1-748x499.jpg 748w, https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stuwi-Staerkeschaum-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ikv-aachen.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Stuwi-Staerkeschaum-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"Stuwi-St\u00e4rkeschaum\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><span class=\" text-copyright order-3 justify-end text-right w-full  w-full \">&copy; IKV<\/span><figcaption class=\" w-full  text-figcaption justify-end text-right \">Production of fine-cell foam films based on thermoplastic starch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The work is related to this research project:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the collaborative \u201cSt\u00e4rkeschaumfolie\u201d project, partners from industry and research developed starch-based materials for physically foamed films for packaging and construction applications. They aimed to achieve the highest practicable starch content, using sources such as wheat or potatoes. The films were produced by foam extrusion using physical blowing agents. The project investigated whether such films could replace fossil-based foam materials in selected applications and which end-of-life treatment options might be suitable for the formulations developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Objective:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The scope of the thesis can be individually adapted to a Bachelor&#8217;s or Master&#8217;s thesis. The aim is to investigate various starch-based thermoplastics with regard to their expansion behavior and foam properties as a function of the process control and blowing agent formulation in the foam extrusion process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your tasks:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You carry out research in the field of thermoplastic starch processing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You carry out foam extrusion tests and evaluate various TPS materials and different blowing agent formulations with regard to their resulting expansion behavior and foam properties<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You analyze the foams produced in terms of cell size, cell homogeneity and cell density<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your profile:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Preferred study programs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mechanical engineering \/ industrial engineering, specialising in mechanical engineering<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automation technology<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>General mechanical engineering<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Computational Engineering Science (CES)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Materials science<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Industrial engineering, specialising in materials and process engineering<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Environmental engineering<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are interested or have any questions on this topic, please feel free to contact me. You can contact us by phone or e-mail.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As part of your work, you will test various physical blowing agents such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen and blowing agent mixtures based on these in order to produce low-density starch foam films.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":8096,"parent":0,"template":"","srtk":[807,808],"research_fields":[856],"esl":[683,687],"class_list":["post-8097","cpt_ikv_srt","type-cpt_ikv_srt","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","srtk-bachelor-thesis","srtk-master-thesis","research_fields-extrusion-en","esl-experimental","esl-literature-research"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Strong, stronger, starch. 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