Prof. Dr.-Ing. Elmar Moritzer Lehrstuhl für Kunststofftechnologie, Paderborn Institut für Polymere Materialien und Prozesse, Paderborn Successful product innovations for plastics production and also for plastics processing companies, plastics machinery construction and the paint and adhesives industry result from a fundamental understanding of the interplay between product requirements, material chemistry, material properties and production engineering. For this reason, seven professors from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Chemistry at the Faculty of Natural Sciences in Paderborn have been working together since summer 2009 in a so-called Central Scientific Establishment (Zentrale Wissenschaftliche Einrichtung): the "Institute of Polymer Materials and Processes" (PMP) is working consistently on the complete process chain, from technical polymer synthesis through to the part, and thus represents a unique selling point for the University of Paderborn. On the mechanical engineering side, Professor Hans-Joachim Schmid, process engineering, and Professors Elmar Moritzer and Volker Schöppner, both plastics technology, are working together with the chemists. All the professors involved see major advantages in grouping together their specialist areas: "Anyone wishing to intensify processes and selectively adjust material properties must be able to fundamentally penetrate these and simulate them. Through this interdisciplinary cooperation between engineers and natural scientists, we are creating a fundamental basis for new material and process developments in the field of polymers", says Hans-Joachim Warnecke, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. The core competencies of the PMP will be supplemented through strategic partnerships with eminent industrial companies and research establishments. The seven working groups accommodated in the PMP have some 140 employees and a laboratory surface area (spread over several locations) of around 2500 m². In 2009, the PMP’s expenditure of third-party funds amounted to approximately EUR 2.5 million. The founding members of the Institute of Polymer Materials and Processes are: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Bremser, Chemistry and Technology of Coating Materials: Coatings and Colloids Prof. Dr.-Ing. Guido Grundmeier, Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry: Interfacial Chemistry and Processes Prof. Dr. Dirk Kuckling, Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry: Structure and Synthesis Prof. Dr.-Ing. Elmar Moritzer, Plastics Engineering: Plastics Technology Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-Joachim Schmid, Mechanical and Environmental Process Technology: Particle Engineering Prof. Dr.-Ing. Volker Schöppner, Plastics Engineering: Plastics Processing Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-Joachim Warnecke, Technical Chemistry and Chemical Process Engineering: Polymer Reaction Technology Areas of work of the PMP: » Back to Who is Who