Fraunhofer UMSICHT at Chemical Recycling 2026

Fraunhofer UMSICHT is participating in AMI Chemical Recycling 2026 in Frankfurt. At the exhibition stand, you will meet Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Franke and Dr. Alexander Hofmann, who are involved in research into recycling technologies and downstream processes, among other things. Meet our experts at the exhibition stand and attend Alexander Hofmann's presentation.

This trade fair focuses on researching the potential of chemical or advanced recycling to convert plastic waste into new materials.

Learn more in Dr Alexander Hofmann's presentation on scaling up an autocatalytic recycling process for producing high-purity aromatics from hard-to-recycle plastics.

Aromatics are essential for sustainable plastic value creation in Europe and form the basis for packaging, fibres and technical polymers. European BTX demand is around 15 million tonnes per year, which is why a low-carbon supply is strategically important; chemical recycling through pyrolysis can meet this demand. Fraunhofer UMSICHT's Pyromat technology uses pyrolysis coal as a reforming agent, promoting the formation of aromatics while reducing heteroatoms, halogens and metals in a single process. Systematic studies show that temperature and residence time control selectivity and that optimised conditions increase BTX yields; a 500 kg/h demonstration plant confirms continuity and stability, while costs for adsorbents are falling and oil quality enables modern further processing, which strengthens recycling-based value creation for European aromatics. Fraunhofer UMSICHT wants to make conventional plastics CO₂-neutral by replacing fossil raw materials with renewable ones.