In its laboratories for materials testing and analysis and in collaboration with HOFZET (Fraunhofer WKI), the IfBB conducts a wide range of tests aimed to develop and examine conventional materials, especially plastics, as well as bio-based materials (biopolymers, natural fibre reinforced composites, paper etc.) and other products made from renewable raw materials.

Materials testing, for example, uses a great variety of mechanical test methods (tensile, compression or bending test, hardness test and notched impact test, heat resistance, computer tomography). In addition, chemical stability and long-term properties are examined in various weathering tests.

Materials analysis includes e.g. particle and fibre analysis, surface analysis and tribological tests.

In addition, various other microscopic tests (scanning electron microscopy including EDX, light microscopy, heated table microscopy), thermal tests (rheology, dynamic differential calorimetry, pyrolysis) and optical measurement tests (fibershape) are carried out to reach a more precise interpretation of the data.