Product development, scientific-technical consulting, cooperation/application research

Our company, KKF, was founded in 2005 as a spin-off of the University of Jena's research and development focus on "synthetic and natural polymers". Based on the scientific knowledge gained about synthetic polymers, we have continuously developed special polymers that have led to new product solutions for numerous users in the fields of optics, material composites and surface coatings.

In the field of natural polymers, our many years of experience in cellulose chemistry have enabled us to establish novel cellulose products based on nanocelluloses. Together with partners from industry, universities, clinics and scientific institutions, we develop nanomaterials for applications in medicine, pharmacy and technology with tailor-made properties.

Are you looking for innovative solutions in the field of synthetic or natural polymers? Get in touch with us!


Awards

With cooperative projects on cellulose chemistry and nanocellulose development at the University of Jena and our KKF predecessor companies, we received numerous awards:

2000 − Thuringian Research Award for the development of blood vessel implants.

2004 − Anselme Payen Award of the American Chemical Society

2010 − 1st place at the "7th Thuringian Elevator Pitch" for the development of an implant made of nanocellulose for heart bypasses

2011 − Gold medal for the invention "Nanocellulose - Nature-based materials for blood vessel implants" at the "39 ème Salon International des Inventions de Genève".

2013 − Thuringian Research Prize for the development of an innovative production process for the manufacture of a high-performance, high-tech biomaterial

2015 − Inventor's medal (silver) at the inventor's fair iENA in Nuremberg for the development of a bile duct implant made of nanocellulose (NeoBileDuct) together with the University Hospital Jena

 


The team of experts

Prof. Dr. Dieter Klemm

  • Speciality: Nanocelluloses, polysaccharides
  • Emeritus Professor of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry at the University of Jena

Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Klemm

  • Speciality: Functional polymers
  • Emeritus Professor of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry at the University of Jena

PD Dr. Wolfgang Fried

  • Specialty: Material characterisation

Dr. Katrin Petzold-Welcke

  • Specialty: polymer synthesis, nanocellulose products

Vanessa Raddatz

  • Speciality: Nanocellulose products


Selected publications

Books:

Gama, M., Gatenholm, P., & Klemm, D. (Eds.). (2013). Bacterial nanocellulose: A sophisticated multifunctional material. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Thomas, S., & Pottathara, Y. B. (2020). Nanocellulose based composites for electronics. Elsevier.

Journals:

Klemm, D., Kramer, F., Moritz, S., Lindström, T., Ankerfors, M., Gray, D., et al. (2011). Nanocelluloses: A new family of nature-based materials. Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English), 50(24), 5438–5466.

Klemm, D., Cranston, E. D., Fischer, D., Gama, M., Kedzior, S. A., Kralisch, D., et al. (2018). Nanocellulose as a natural source for groundbreaking applications in materials science: Today’s state. Materials Today, 21(7), 720–748.

Klemm, D., Petzold-Welcke, K., Kramer, F., Richter, T. Raddatz, V., Fried, W., et al. (2020). Biotech nanocellulose: A review on progress in product design and today’s state of technical and medical applications. Carbohydrate Polymers.