News

May  28, 2025

After the successful in-person meetings in Zlín, Czech Republic, and Marseilles, France, all project partners convened for a third meeting, which was also set as the final workshop, in Germany on May 14, 2025. As coordinators, IPF colleagues organized this event along with the annual meeting of the German Rubber Society (Deutsche Kautschukgesellschaft, DKG) at Juliusspital in Würzburg. The project partners acknowledge the DKG team for the gracious hosting at this venue. Representing each group were Sven Wießner, Amit Das, Eric Euchler and Subhradeep Mandal (IPF, Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Germany), Michael Kaliske and Samir El Masri (TUD Dresden University of Technology, Germany), Stéphane Lejeunes (LMA, Aix-Marseille University, France) as well as Radek Stoček and Martin Stěnička (TBU, Tomas Baťa University in Zlín, Czech Republic) and Christian Kipscholl (Coesfeld GmbH & Co. KG, Dortmund, Germany) as part of the Industrial Advisory Board. The other board members representing Continental AG (Hannover, Germany) and DYNAmore GmbH (Stuttgart, Germany) were excused. The final project meeting aimed to summarize the results of method and material development, mechanical characterization as well as modeling methodologies. By using advanced testing techniques, such as the temperature-controlled Intrinsic Strength Analyser (TBU lead), the innovative rubber systems based on reversible dynamic bonding concepts (IPF lead) could be quantified and classified. Such comprehensive datasets including information on the fatigue and failure behavior of rubbers, are essential for novel numerical tools to predict the abrasion and wear behavior of tire tread materials (TUD lead) coupled with extended material law considering thermo-mechanical effects of rubber (LMA lead). The Industrial Advisory Board members confirm the importance of these results for, both, a fundamental understanding of material behavior and an application-oriented knowledge transfer towards novel future e-mobility concepts as part of the European Green Deal goals, which only was reached by interconnecting the expertise and competence of this consortium. Finally, the project members discussed and agreed upon the next steps in the final phase of the project with a special focus on planning publications on the project achievements in suitable scientific journals.

April 18, 2024

After the initial successful meeting in Zlín, Czech Republic, the project partners convened once more in the beautiful city of Marseille, France. This meeting was graciously hosted by Stéphane Lejeunes and Rebeca Cedeño Madera (LMA, Aix-Marseille University, France). Representing each group were Sven Wießner and Subhradeep Mandal (IPF, Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Germany), Michael Kaliske and Samir El Masri (TUD Dresden University of Technology, Germany), as well as Radek Stoček and Martin Stěnička (TBU, Tomas Baťa University in Zlín, Czech Republic).

This project aims to create and provide experimental as well as modeling methodologies simplifying and improving the design and prediction capability of innovative material-engineering approaches to enhance the lifetime and durability of elastomers to reduce abrasion, wear and micro-pollution of tires for future e-mobility concepts as part of the European Green Deal goals.

The meeting spanned from April 16 to April 18, 2024, with presentations on the current state of work and results, followed by intensive discussions. Each day concluded with delicious traditional French cuisine. Future project activities were also thoroughly discussed during the meeting. A highlight was the engaging lab tour at LMA, which provided valuable insights into their research. Finally, the program included a captivating city walk through the center of Marseille and a visit to the Cosquer Méditerranée Cave at the Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean.

The next in-person meeting is scheduled from May 14 to 16, 2025, and will be organized by IPF and TUD.

February 8, 2024

On February 8, 2024 the GUMFERENCE symposium was once again held as an online event. Dr.-Ing. Eric Euchler (Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research (IPF) Dresden, Research Division Elastomers) and Assoc. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Radek Stoček (Tomas Bata University (TBU) in Zlín, Centre of Polymer Systems) jointly organized the event. The organizers were very satisfied with the more than 300 registered participants from 23 countries.

In total, 11 speakers from industry and science contributed with presentations on the topic of "Advanced Testing of Soft Polymer Materials". In talks on morphology and structure analysis, the possibilities and limitations of various methods for characterizing network density or filler distribution were demonstrated. In a special session, results from the ongoing EU project "ModEl-FuturE" (www.model-future.eu) were presented and the importance of the research topic "tire abrasion" was substantiated by a contribution from Continental AG. Presentations on alternative compound formulations for tailor-made material properties, including potential application of elastomers on Mars, completed the program.

All speakers are now invited to publish their contributions in the topical collection "Advanced Testing of Soft Polymer Materials" (eds. Stocek & Euchler) in the journal Polymer Bulletin (Springer Nature).

The organizers of GUMFERENCE have already scheduled the next event for 06 February, 2025 and more information will be shared as soon as possible via www.gumference.com

January 15, 2024

On January 15, 2024, the first meeting with the members of the Industrial Board was realized virtually. The representatives Prof. Sven Wießner (IPF Dresden/GER), Prof. M. Kaliske (TUD Dresden/GER), Doc. Dr. Radek Stocek (TBU Zlin/CZ) and PhD habil. Stéphane Lejeunes (LMA Marseille/FRA) together with their research teams presented the motivation and scientific activites of this collaborative project to the Industrial Board Members, which were represented by Prof. Burkhard Wies (Continental AG Hannover/GER), Dr. Thomas Münz (Dynamore Stuttgart/GER) and Dr. Christian Kipscholl (Coesfeld Dortmund/GER). All members of the Industrial Board were impressed by the research achievements and confirmed the importance of such a project for several scientific fields, incl. material development, testing and modeling, for sustainable applications of rubbers.

April 26, 2023

After several online meetings, the four project partners of “ModEl-FuturE” met on April 24-26, 2023, for the first in-person meeting as the project kick-off in Zlin, Czech Republic. The representatives Samir El Masri (ISD, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Germany), Stéphane Lejeunes (LMA, Aix-Marseille University, France) and Sven Wießner, Amit Das, Subhradeep Mandal and Eric Euchler (all IPF Dresden, Germany) were kindly hosted by Radek Stoček, Jakub Pawlas and Martin Stěnička (all CPS, Tomas Baťa University Zlin, Czech Republic).

This project aims to create and provide experimental as well as modeling methodologies simplifying and improving the design and prediction capability of innovative material-engineering approaches to enhance the lifetime and durability of elastomers to reduce abrasion, wear and micro-pollution of tires for future e-mobility concepts as part of the European Green Deal goals.

All project partners presented the current state of their work and results. Also, further project activities were intensively discussed. The lab tour at CPS was continued by a social program including a visit to the Baťa Skyscraper, which was the administration building of the famous Baťa Shoes factory. Closing remarks were given during the dinner enjoying traditional Czech cuisine.

The next in-person meeting is scheduled for April 2024 and will be organized by Stéphane Lejeunes (LMA) in Marseilles. For more information about the project please visit www.model-future.eu