Polymers in the Berlinbrandenburg Region

Macromolecular News

Polymers in the Berlin–Brandenburg Region: A Brief Review on the History on the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the German Reuniﬁcation

Andreas Lendlein,* Burkart Philipp

From October 3 to October 5, 2010, the to revive a good tradition from the Beyer, who was a teacher at the 6th Polydays took place, which were nineties, when this event took place as Graduate Trading School in Berlin organized by the section ‘‘Macromole- a national symposium named ‘‘Berli- observed a polycondensation reaction cular Chemistry’’ of the Society of ner Polymerentage’’ by arranging a between phenol and formaldehyde to German Chemists (GDCh) and the science history minded evening lec- a resinous product, which was not Berlin–Brandenburg Polymer Associa- ture.[4] In 2010, this was held by further characterized at that time. In tion (BVP). The main topics were Andreas Lendlein with the title ‘‘Poly- 1909, a major milestone of industrial ‘‘Polymers in Biomedicine’’ and ‘‘Poly- mers in the Berlin–Brandenburg polymer production was achieved in mers in Polytronics (Organic Electro- Region’’, and he also referred to the Erkner, which is located south of nics)’’. Both research areas are of great German reunification on the occasion Berlin. The production of the world- interest for fundamental research as of its 20th anniversary. The lecture wide first synthetic resin, using this well as for various applications.[1–3] was centred to some extent on the polycondensation reaction between A committee consisting of polymer Institute of Polymer Research in Tel- phenol and formaldehyde, was chemists and physicists, headed by tow-Seehof on account of its bridging started. This material, which was later Andreas Lendlein from the Institute of function for many decades between named Bakelit to honor its inventor Polymer Research in Teltow-Seehof Berlin and Brandenburg. The subse- Baekeland, very soon proved to be an belonging to the Helmholtz-Zentrum quent contribution is a revised English outstanding electric insulating mate- Geesthacht, was responsible for the version of this evening lecture, which rial. This remarkable material function scientific program. The conference, as considered aspects of fundamental was acknowledged by the Siemens well as the social events, took place at research as well as industrial produc- Company, which was the main the Freie Universita¨t Berlin (FU Berlin). tion of polymers. Since the beginning of this century the The roots of ‘‘Polymers in Polydays have been organized bian- the Berlin–Brandenburg nually as an international conference. Region’’ can be traced back In 2010, more than 340 polymer to the middle of the 19th scientists from institutes and industry century when the streets of in 17 countries attended the meeting. Berlin began to be lighted The organizers considered it adequate by gas lamps, which was around 1850. The gas was produced from hard coal. At A. Lendlein, B. Philipp this time Friedlieb Ferdi- Center for Biomaterial Development, nand Runge investigated Institute of Polymer Research, Helmholtz- for the first time the com- Zentrum Geesthacht and Berlin- Figure 1. Prof. Burkart Philipp, director of the ‘‘Institut Brandenburg Center for Regenerative ponents of hard coal tar, such as phenol and aniline, fu¨r Polymerenchemie’’ – Institute of Polymer Chem- Therapies (BCRT), Berlin, Germany, istry of the GDR Academy of Sciences 1969–1981 and Kantstraße 55, 14513 Teltow, Germany at the Oranienburg gas 1990/91 and Prof. Andreas Lendlein, director of the Fax: (þ49) 3328-452; factory in the north of Institute of Polymer Research at the Helmholtz- E-mail: [email protected] Berlin. In 1871 Adolf von Zentrum Geesthacht, Teltow campus.

Macromol. Chem. Phys. 2011, 212, 000–000 ß 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim wileyonlinelibrary.com DOI: 10.1002/macp.201000762 1 R Early View Publication; these are NOT the final page numbers, use DOI for citation !! A. Lendlein, B. Philipp

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customer for this product at the time. fibre formation. Therefore it was the by the Soviet authorities and by selling Phenol was abundantly available from institute’s task to explore these pro- rayon-based stockings produced in the the hard coal tar of the Berlin gas cesses. At the same time the institute pilot plant facilities. factory, while formalin was initially had to observe the patent situation and The separation of Berlin into an produced by oxidation of methanol, improve the intellectual property posi- eastern and western part of course led which was obtained by dry distillation tion of the company. The research to a separate development of polymer of wood until sufficient amounts of strategy given to the institute by its research and production in both these methanol could be prepared by the founder, Emil Bronnert from the parts, although an exchange of infor- synthetic route.[5] The phenol resin Glanzstoff board, is still of interest and mation and of persons remained production continued in Erkner relevance today. The results of the possible in these first postwar years. throughout one century. It expanded research in the area of rayon should The foundation of the Freie Universita¨t to ca. 100 000 tons per annum during be made available to the different plants in West Berlin on December 4, 1948,[12] the World War II and will reach an of the company for practical use in the with its new buildings and modern amount of up to about 60 000 tons at production. For this purpose the insti- equipment, implied a rapid develop- the end of 2010 once again.[6] In 2009, tute was equipped with pilot plants for ment and growing activity in polymer the 100th anniversary of this first small series production and theoretical research in West Berlin, which focused industrial polymer production was as well as practical work in chemistry, on the organic chemistry related to commemorated with a symposium physics, and technology of polymers polymers with Georg Manecke as the organized by supporters of the chem- (especially cellulose) was combined father of this development. istry museumErkner, which took place under a joint management. Finally, Polymer research in the field of in the presence of a great grandson of the institute made an important con- physical chemistry and polymer phy- the inventor Baekeland.[7] tribution to teaching and professional sics was performed and published at In 1914 the famous Berlin physicist education at different levels from the University of Technology in Berlin- Max von Laue received the Nobel prize apprentices to doctoral fellows. Charlottenburg (TU Berlin). New, inter- for his research work on X-ray scatter- Several worldwide known scientists nationally relevant results in polymer ing in crystals, laying the foundation active in the area of cellulose research, physics and physical chemistry were of structure analysis of polymers by such as Emil Heuser, Georg Jayme and also achieved by Kurt U¨berreiter and X-ray diffraction and, thus, for a major Richard Bartonek,[10] started their his group at the Fritz Haber Institute of topic of polymer physics. During scientific career in Teltow-Seehof dur- the Max Planck Society in Berlin- the 20s and 30s of the last century, ing the 1920s. Dahlem. At the same time, the newly results of international relevance on In the 1930s, intense work was founded Federal Institute for Material the physical structure of celluloses performed by the institute in converting Research and Testing (BAM), also in obtained by X-ray scattering where casein from skimmed milk to protein Berlin-Dahlem, built up a strong poly- published by the groups of Hermann threads for textiles in addition to the mer department with an emphasis on Mark[8] and Kurt Hess at the Kaiser rayon research.[11] Despite promising material science aspects, such as Wilhelm Institute in Berlin-Dahlem. research results, production could not be synthetic fibres, resins and elastomers. After already being planned in 1919, started in the years before World War II The production of rayon staple the first institute exclusively focused due to shortage of the raw material. A fibres was continued shortly after on polymers was founded in 1920[9] by close cooperation between the Institute the war at the ‘‘Zehlendorfer Spinn- the ‘‘Vereinigte Glanzstofffabriken’’ in Seehof and the Dutch General Rayon stoffwerk’’. In the eastern part, produc- Seehof (later Teltow-Seehof), at the Union, which was started around 1930, tion of phenolic resin was continued in southern border of Berlin. According to proved to be of importance for the Erkner, accompanied by research the general international knowledge survival of the institute after the war. activities at the Institute of Organic about polymers available in the 20s, This economic linkage led to a diplo- Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences the Institute Seehof explored cellulose matic quarrel between the Soviet Union, located in Berlin-Adlershof (East Ber- as well as rayon production based on the occupant of Brandenburg, and lin). The Institute Seehof experienced a the viscose process. At that time rayon Great Britain, the protector of the remarkable development in 1949 production from wood pulp by the Netherlands, and avoided the expro- when the Institute became an institu- viscose process via cellulose xantho- priation of the institute to a so-called tion of the Academy of Science named genate was performed predominantly ‘‘Volkseigener Betrieb’’ (state-owned ‘‘Institut fu¨r Faserstoffforschung’’. on an empirical basis without ade- enterprise). Nevertheless, in these post- Under the guidance of its director quate knowledge of the numerous war years, research on rayon was Erich Correns, fibre research was steps that occur during the chemical continued in Teltow-Seehof on a small extended largely beyond cellulose process or the physical mechanism of scale, less than 10 employees, financed and also covered polyamide, polyester,

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and polyacrylnitrile fibres, in order to established strong and very efficient finally decided in favour of the Insti- provide and dissipate the knowledge cooperation enterprises between his tute of Teltow-Seehof, thanks to the obtained to the appropriate factories. institute and the fibre companies in support given by Hermann Klare. The strategy of the institute was a East Germany.[13] The burden all Later in the 1970s, the institute continuation of the concept estab- employees had to sustain due to the entered into cooperation with the very lished 30 years earlier by Emil Bron- consequences of the Berlin Wall and efficient cellulose research of the nert. In particular, the integration of the border regime led to a strong team Republic of Finland. This scientific the topics of chemistry, physics, and spirit of the staff. cooperation was the first cooperation technology of polymers under the roof In 1968 Hermann Klare was elected of an Institute of the Academy of of polymer science was promoted by as president of the East German Sciences with a non-socialist country. an enlargement of the polymer phy- Academy of Sciences, and in 1969 Before elucidating the consequences of sics department. Burkart Philipp took over the respon- the German reunification on polymer More than 300 staff members were sibility for the Institute Teltow-Seehof. research and production in the Berlin– active in the institute at the end of the His term in office lasted until 1980. In Brandenburg region, a look back on the 1950s. The management of the insti- 1981 he was dismissed from this developments in West Berlin is given. tute tolerated the scientific commu- position for political reasons. At the In 1987 a group of polymer scientists nicationwithFUBerlin,TUBerlin,BAM, beginning of the 1970s, the research from FU Berlin, TU Berlin and BAM has and the institutes of the Max Planck area of the institute was extended founded the ‘‘Berliner Verband fu¨r Society in West Berlin. An example was beyond biopolymer-based and syn- Polymerforschung’’ (Berlin Associa- a lecture by Hermann Mark at the thetic polymer-based fibres to new tion of Polymer Research), where InstituteofOrganicChemistryoftheFU topics in polymer science, in particular Georg Manecke, Kurt U¨berreiter, and Berlin at the end of the 1950s, which polymer colloids and polymers for life Gerhard Becker were the main pro- was attended by about 50 scientists sciences were added. Important new moters of this initiative.[14] In addition from Teltow-Seehof. activities to be mentioned here were to research institutes relevant compa- A very serious setback from the synthesis, characterization and appli- nies could also become members of scientific as well as from the human cation of polyelectrolytes; preparation this association. Hermann Klare, who point of view was experienced by the and utilisation of polymer membranes meanwhile retired, was admitted as institute when the Berlin Wall was for technical and medical purposes; an external member of the association built on August 13, 1961. The construc- problems of adhesives; and the ques- in 1988. In retrospect this association tion of the Berlin Wall resulted in the tion of polymerization in colloidal turned out to be an important instru- termination of the scientific commu- systems. All these subjects were suc- ment for the consolidation of the nication with the institutes in Berlin- cessfully continued after the political Berlin and Brandenburg polymer Dahlem, and the Institute in Seehof lost turn-around of 1989/1990, following research. In 1991 the first ‘‘Berliner three internationally renowned scien- the integration of the institute into the Polymer Tage’’ conference with speak- tists residing in West Berlin. From then scientific organizations of the Federal ers from East and West took place. on, Teltow-Seehof was surrounded on Republic of Germany. The expansion Since 2000 this biannual conference three sides by a very strict border of the research field of the institute at was held under the name Polydays as regime. This very inhumane border the beginning of the 1970s was an international meeting. At the same regime introduced, for example, the followed by a change of its name to time the association was renamed necessity to apply for a formal permis- ‘‘Institut fu¨r Polymerenchemie’’. The ‘‘Berlin–Brandenburger Verband fu¨r sion to visit the institute even for head count of the institute’s staff Polymerforschung’’. immediate family members. was increased to more than 400. This In the Institute Teltow-Seehof, In the 1960s, Hermann Klare, the expansion however resulted in a the political changes occurring in head of the institute and successor of strong interest of the East German Germany in 1989/90 already began Erich Correns, did everything possible Ministry of Chemistry and the state in spring 1989. During an event in his power to relieve the conse- owned fibre companies tried to take honouring the fortieth anniversary quences caused by the Berlin Wall. over this internationally well-known of the Academy Institute, the leading Together with Paul Schlack, the inven- institute with the aim to convert it staff of the institute was criticized tor of Perlon, Herman Klare had into an industrial institution. On the publicly for the first time in a polite but developed a technology for producing other hand, the apparatus of the East very distinct way. The rapidly occur- this new synthetic fibre in the com- German Academy of Sciences wanted ring changes in the second half of 1989 pany Aceta in Berlin-Lichtenberg at to merge the institute with the ‘‘Insti- were well-received and actively sup- the end of the 1950s. In the 1960s, as tut fu¨r Textil-Technologie’’ in Dresden. ported by the institute staff. For head of the Teltow-Seehof Institute, he But both these conflict situations were example, secretaries of the institute

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already copied and distributed articles of the ‘‘Berliner Polymerenverband’’. campusinGolmnearPotsdam together for the ‘‘Neues Forum’’ in August/ Here, the strong support of the collea- with institutes of the University of September 1989. In November 1989, gues from West Berlin must be Potsdam. These institutes obtained a scientists of the institute contacted acknowledged, as they supported this new and very modern infrastructure. their colleagues in West Berlin. Subse- process with high dedication and very Also at the Humboldt University in quently, an extraordinary employees cooperatively. the East of Berlin (HU Berlin), a strong meeting demanded the democratic In summary, the reunification of the research and teaching activity in election of a scientific advisory board polymer research in the Berlin–Bran- polymer science was started in the of the institute. This election took place denburg region was completed about beginning of this century. This was in November 1989.[15] The newly half a year before the political reuni- initialized by the appointment of elected advisory board met shortly fication occurred. Starting in May 1990 Ju¨rgen Rabe as polymer physicist before Christmas and enforced the the most important challenge was and physicochemist in 1995. After exchange of the institute’s manage- the integration of the institute’s staff the movement of the Institutes of ment. With regard to the overall of about 400 people into a reunified Sciences of the HU Berlin to the new political situation in Germany at the German research landscape. After campus of technology in Berlin-Adler- end of 1989 and beginning of 1990, the detailed discussion of several possibi- shof, the activities in polymer science top management of the German Demo- lities in the scientific advisory board of were further expanded by implemen- cratic Republic (GDR) Academy of the institute, a scenario in which the tation of two new chairs. Sciences complied with this demand. Academy institute would be divided in A substantial research potential A new management of the institute in several new successor institutions, remained in Teltow-Seehof, where Teltow-Seehof was appointed and was following technical scientific aspects, today about 200 persons are working headed again by Burkart Philipp. On was suggested to the evaluation com- in four institutes: February 1, 1990, the president of the mittee of the German science council. GDR Academy of Sciences reluctantly This evaluation took place at the end of - Institute of Polymer Research of appointed the new management, 1990 in a very cordial atmosphere at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht and the ceremony was performed in eye level. The strategy proposed by the (HZG) headed by Andreas Lendlein, the smallest circle of participants institute’s management was accepted who also is a professor for Materials possible. The first activity of the new in the final document[16] and was in Life Sciences at the University of institute management was a compre- realized in the subsequent years. Most Potsdam and an honorary professor hensive democratization of the insti- of the employees of the former Acad- at the FU Berlin, as well as member tute’s internal structures by replacing emy Institute staff found a new job in of the medical faculty of Charite´, people in management positions and one of the successor institutions or in Universita¨tsmedizin Berlin. by the abolition of positions belonging other research institutions in Berlin or - Fraunhofer Institute for Polymeric to obsolete management levels that Brandenburg, especially at the newly Materials and Composites, headed wereimplementedbefore1989inorder founded University of Potsdam, the by Monika Bauer in connection with from superordinate authorities. This FU Berlin, or BAM. Only two active a professorship at the Brandenburg restructuring process was concluded in collaborators of the GDR Ministry for University of Technology, Cottbus spring 1990. At the same time the State Security, commonly known as (BTU Cottbus). institute was actively seeking contacts ‘‘Stasi’’, were dismissed. During the - Institute of Thinfilm and Microsen- and cooperation with West German past 20 years ten scientists of the sor Technology, headed by Burkhard research institutions, authorities, and former Academy Institute, among Schulz, who also is a teacher at the companies by giving lectures, writing them five women, were meanwhile University of Potsdam. The institute publications, and participating in con- appointed professors at universities is engaged in contract research on ferences or organizing joint meetings. or universities of applied sciences. photoactive and electroactive het- Contacts to neighbouring research Altogether, the successor institutions erocyclic polymers. institutions, e.g., FU Berlin and BAM, were established during the 1990s, - Research Institute for Bioactive as well as the local industry, such as the which was, in particular, achieved by Polymer Systems led by Birgit ‘‘Spinnstoffwerk’’ company in Berlin- publications and lectures. Kamm in connection with an hon- Zehlendorf, were established. In spring At the end of the last century the orary professorship for biorefinery 1990, a joint forum of young scientists two largest successor institutes, technology at BTU Cottbus. with participants from FU Berlin, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied TU Berlin and BAM was organized at Polymer Research and the Max Planck The institutes at the Teltow-Seehof the institute in Teltow-Seehof, whose Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, campus are actively cooperating with new director had become a member were relocated at the new research the University of Potsdam, where

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is a jointly oper- Acknowledgements: The authors thank Gerhard Koßmehl ated translational Prof. for helpful information on the time period, when Berlin was research centre of divided, and Prof. Reimund Gerhard for Charite´, Universi- additional information about the early ta¨tsmedizin Ber- meetings of the ‘‘Polymerverband’’. lin and the HZG Institute of Poly- mer Research, whose director is also member at [1] A. Lendlein, M. Rehahn, M. R. Buch- Macromol. Rapid the board of direc- meiser, R. Haag, Commun. 2010, 31, 1487. tors of BCRT. In [2] A. Lendlein, Macomol. Biosci. 2010, 10, 2006 the Centre 993. for Biomaterial [3] N. Scharnagl, A. Lendlein, R. Haag, Development, as G. Oenbrink, Nachr. Chem. 2010, 58, part of the HZG 1307. [4] H. Klare, ‘‘Faserbildende Polymere; Institute of Poly- Geschichte und Geschichtchen’’, mer Research, lecture during the 5th ‘‘Berliner Poly- could be opened merentage’’, Potsdam, October 1994. at the research [5] G. Koßmehl, Nachr. Chem. 2009, 57, campus Teltow- 1090. [6] Personel information of Dynea GmbH, Seehof, which Figure 2. Top: Spinning hall around 1940. Bottom: laboratory for Erkner, 2010. started its activ- Nachr. Chem. 58, small series production of medical devices after modernization [7] G. Koßmehl, 2010, 2006 in the same room. ities in moder- 179. nised old build- [8] K. H. Meyer, H. Mark, Makromoleku- lare Chemie, 2nd edition, ings (Figure 2). Geest und Portig KG, Leipzig 1950. today a close cooperation with exter- In 2009 the foundation stone was [9] Foundation of Institute Seehof, Proto- nal research organizations is part of its laid for the Biomedical Technology col of supervisory board meeting of strategy. Centre II as the first new laboratory the Vereinigten Glanzstofffabriken Today the Institute of Polymer building at the research campus Tel- AG, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Research of HZG is the motor of the tow-Seehof since the German reunifi- Teltow September, 1920. [10] E. Heuser, R. Bartunek, Cellulose- development of the research campus cation. This building will be named chemie 1925, 6, 19. in Teltow-Seehof, with its bridging after Hermann Klare in memory of this [11] J. J. Sto¨ckly, W. Linnhoff, H. Mu¨ssigbrodt, function between Brandenburg and very successful and popular director of report of Vereinigten Glanzstofffabri- Berlin. The institute was managed in the research site Teltow-Seehof in the ken AG, Teltow-Seehof, 1937. the 1990s by Dieter Paul in connection sixties of the last century. [12] Foundation protocol of Freie Univer- sita¨t Berlin, foundation meeting, Tita- with a professorship at the University The get-together at the occasion of nia palace Berlin, Freie Universita¨t of Hamburg-Harburg. Since 2002, the the 6th Polydays, impressively Berlin, December 1948. institute is headed by Andreas Len- reflects the German unity achieved [13] H. Klare, A. Gro¨be, B. Philipp, Chemie- dlein, who provided the institute with twenty years ago, with the Berlin– fasern 1965, 15, 502. a novel, modern profile in material Brandenburg Polymer Association [14] Foundation protocol of Berliner Ver- band fu¨r Polymerforschung e.V., Ber- science by focusing on polymer-based and the section ‘‘Macromolecular lin, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, materials for biomedicine. Important Chemistry’’ of the Society of German Teltow, October 1986. topics are the synthesis and character- Chemists acting as organizers, the [15] Foundation protocol of establishing ization of stimuli-sensitive poly- head of the Institute of Polymer the Scientific Advisory Board, Insti- mers[17] and biomimetic materials as Research in Teltow-Seehof as tute ofPolymer Chemistry, Teltow- Seehof, Teltow, November 1989. well as applications of biomaterials in chairman of the program committee, [16] German Science Council, comments to [18] regenerative medicine, especially and the FU Berlin acting as host chemical non-university research in the cardiovascular[19] or the muscu- institution. institutions, Ko¨ln, 1992, 58. loskeletal field. The translation of the Finally, wethank the sponsors ofthe [17] M. Behl, J. Zotzmann, A. Lendlein, Adv. Polym. Sci. 226, results from fundamental research in conference and want to express our 2010, 1. [18] P. Shastri, A. Lendlein, Adv. Mater. clinical applications is performed at best wishes for a bright future of 2009, 21, 3231. the Berlin–Brandenburg Centre for polymer research and production in [19] F. Jung, C. Wischke, A. Lendlein, MRS Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), which the Berlin–Brandenburg region. Bull. 2010, 35, 607.

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