The special research prize of 15,000 euros for research projects with particular social relevance goes to Dr. Antje Ota from the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF).
The Gips-Schüle Foundation was established in 1965 by the descendants of the Schüle family, who had been very successful in gypsum mining in Stuttgart for over 100 years. The Gips-Schüle Foundation supports research projects at universities and research institutes in Baden-Württemberg with the aim of promoting economic and social progress that contributes to the common good and is sustainable. It also awards the Gips-Schüle Research Prize and the Special Research Prize for Social Innovation every two years.
At this year's award ceremony, Dr. Antje Ota from the DITF Denkendorf was awarded the Special Research Prize for Social Innovation. The prize is endowed with 15,000 euros and recognizes projects with particular social relevance. Dr. Ota and the team from the Competence Center for Biopolymer Materials received the award for their research into the production of cellulose filaments from alternative raw materials.
Together with the French start-up RBX Créations, they investigated the use of hemp residues to produce high-quality textile products. The hemp stalks are used alone or in combination with flax by-products to produce cellulose. Based on a patented ecological process, RBX Créations developed a hemp pulp with high purity and excellent properties. The pulp has a lower CO2 footprint than kraft wood pulp.
For DITF, this pulp is the starting material for the production of cellulose filaments in an innovative, patented process (HighPerCell®). Dr. Ota's team developed this environmentally friendly and novel spinning process based on 20 years of research expertise. It is based on dissolving the starting material in ionic liquids and then spinning it into fibers in a special wet spinning process. The solvent is non-toxic and environmentally friendly. It can be almost completely recovered. This means that no chemicals that are harmful to the environment or health are released during the process. The hemp material used also comes from ecological and sustainable cultivation. The hemp-based cellulose fibers are also interesting for technical applications due to their properties such as high tensile strength and their elasticity and elongation characteristics.
The particular social relevance of the research project arises from the sustainable production of textile products based on natural raw materials. There is no other use for these, so they are not in competition with the food industry or animal feed production and are available locally. In the long term, the consumption of primary raw materials can be reduced and the preservation of forests ensured. In addition, HighPerCell® technology is recyclable and cellulose materials can be returned to the product cycle. This counteracts the current social problem of the environmentally harmful production of petroleum-based and energy-intensive textiles.
The award ceremony took place in a festive setting on October 24, 2023 in Stuttgart.