The status symposium "Towards Circularity 2026" from Volkswagen Foundation with the topic "Circularity with recycled and biogenic resources" was held on June 11-12, 2026, in Hannover. Experts in the field discussed scientific and technical approaches to advance sustainable, resource-efficient and fossil-free production.

At the symposium, ITT presented the first results of the project: „A new bio-based circular production route for molecularly tailored polyethylene pom-pom contributing to closed and defossilized material cycles in polyolefin industry“. This is an interdisciplinary research project between Chemistry and Engineering Thermodynamics, which is carried out jointly between the Institute of Technical Chemistry at Clausthal University of Technology and ITT. The project aims to develop a circular production route for bio-based polyethylene (bio-PE) based on a non-equilibrium thermodynamics-driven multiscale modelling and simulation approach.

To this end, a bio-based process will introduce a novel molecularly tailored branched PE grade, referred to as bio-PE pom-pom. The raw material used is bio-butadiene derived from agricultural and food waste. It will be polymerized in a new production process to be developed in this project using anionic and energy-efficient low-pressure production techniques. Bio-PE pom-pom have a defined branched topology resulting in superior and tailored properties suitable for use as a bulk material or as an additive to modulate the properties of PE recyclates by blending with waste PE.