Prof. Dr. Christian Rytka

    Activities at the FHNW

    Research

    • Process engineering of polymers and digitalization of processing chains
    • Recycling, biopolymers and natural fiber composites
    • Replication of functional micro- and nanostructures with focus on injection moulding
    • Composite Technology with focus on processing
    • Additive manufacturing with novel materials
    • Polymers for the solar industry

    Profile

    • Polymer Processing and Sustainability
    • Micro and Nanotechnology: Replication and coating
    • Modul Material and Sustainability: Polymer processing, sustainability, recycling, biopolymers and natural fibers at the FHNW Academy of Art and Design, Bachelor of Arts in Product and Industrial Design
    • Supervision of Bachelor and Master Thesis
    • Co-supervisor phd thesis

    Consortium member of NTN Innovation Booster Applied Circular Sustainability

    • Recycling of mixed polymer, hygienic masks, GFRC and PU
    • Development of various products from recycled polymers
    • Development of natural fiber composites
    • Additive Manufacturing with nanocomposites
    • Digitalisation for polymer manufacturing processes
    • Biopolymers: New formulations, processing and application development
    • Video mit Microbez: Pilze statt Plastik | FHNW eMagazin 3/2024
    • Mit Thermoformen gegen Hüftschäden, Seetaler Bote, 2024
    • Rytka C, Krzikalla P, Battaglia S, Volatile Verbindungen in Kunststoffrezyklat, Technische Rundschau, 2024
    • Rytka CDie Vielseitigkeit von Kunststoffen macht es so spannend, bz, 2024
    • Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW. 26.02.2024. Plastikfrei angeln
    • Rytka C, Biopolymere – eine nachhaltige Alternative?, Kunststoffextra, 2023
    • S, Tiesnes, Rytka, C., 2023, Life cycle assessment, biodegradability and sustainability of biopolymers in the textile Industry, Nachhaltige Kunststoffe in komplexen Anwendungen, Rapperswil, Schweiz; Slide 1 (ost.ch)
    • Werlen V, Rytka C, Dransfeld C, Brauner C, Michaud V. A multiscale consolidation model for press molding of hybrid textiles into complex geometries. Polym Compos. 2024; 1-19. doi:10.1002/pc.28139
    • Werlen V., Vocke R., Brauner B., Dransfeld C., Michaud V., Rytka C., A model for the consolidation of hybrid textiles considering air entrapment, dissolution and diffusion, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Volume 166, 2023, 107413, ISSN 1359-835X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2022.107413.
    • Markstaller R, Krzikalla P, Wegmann S, Rytka CSandwichplatten aus rezykliertem Kunststoffmix, Kunststoffextra, 2022
    • Voegelin T, Durchbruch im Recycling von GFK-Abfällen, Kunststoffextra, 2021
    • Werlen V, Rytka C, Wegmann S, et al. Novel tooling for direct melt impregnation of textile with variotherm injection moulding: Methodology and proof of concept. Journal of Composite Materials. 2022;0(0). doi:10.1177/00219983221130720
    • Diaz-Rodenas M., Thommen M., Rytka C., Le Canut J.M., Gschwend G., Queloz S., Tsotra P., Roussel J., Weber J.F., Highly conductive polypropylene based composites for bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, Composites Meet Sustainability – Proceedings of the 20th European Conference on Composite Materials, ECCM20. 26-30 June, 2022, Lausanne, Switzerland
    • Werlen V., Vocke R., Schwanemann P, Michaud V., Brauner C., Dransfeld C., Rytka C., Consolidation of hybrid textiles for aerospace applications, Composites Meet Sustainability – Proceedings of the 20th European Conference on Composite Materials, ECCM20. 26-30 June, 2022, Lausanne, Switzerland
    • Rytka C., Zurück in den biologischen Kreislauf, Kunststoffxtra, 14.April 2022
    • Wegmann S.; Rytka C.; Diaz-Rodenas M., Werlen V.; Schneeberger C., Ermanni P., Caglar B., Gomez C., Michaud V., A life cycle analysis of novel lightweight composite processes: Reducing the environmental footprint of automotive structures, Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 330, 2022, 129808, ISSN 0959-6526,
    • Werlen V., Rytka C., Michaud V., A numerical approach to characterize the viscoelastic behaviour of fibre beds and to evaluate the influence of strain deviations on viscoelastic parameter extraction, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, Vol. 143, 2021, 106315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2021.106315
    • Bühler R., Thommen M., Le Canut J.-M., Weber J.-F., Rytka C., Tsotra P., Highly conductive polypropylene-based composites for bipolar plates for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Fuel Cells. 2021,1–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/fuce.201900232
    • Jakubowsky M., Werder J., Rytka C., Kristiansen M., Neyer A. (2020): Design, manufacturing and experimental validation of a bonded dual component microstructured system for vertical light emission Microsystem Technologies, 26(6), 2087-2093; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-020-04767-z
    • Arexabaleta, L.; Rytka, C.; Walker, L.; Analysis of the manufacturing process of a car bonnet using Compression Resin Transfer Moulding (CRTM). AEMAC, [S.l.], v. 3, n. 3, p. 60-67, july 2019. ISSN 2531-0739.
    • Fairhurst A., Thommen M., Rytka C. (2019): Comparison of short and long term creep testing in high performance polymers Polymer Testing 78 105979, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymertesting.2019.105979
    • Rytka, C., (2016) Replication of Functional Polymeric Micro- and Nanostructures, phd-thesis, TU Dortmund, http://dx.doi.org/10.17877/DE290R-17239
    • Rytka C., Lungershausen J., Kristiansen P. M., Neyer A., (2016) 3D filling simulation  of micro- and nanostructures in comparison to injection moulding trials J. Micromech. Microeng. 26 065018, http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/26/6/065018.
    • Rytka, C., Opara, N., Andersen, N. K., Kristiansen, P. M. and Neyer, A. (2016), On The Role of Wetting, Structure Width, and Flow Characteristics in Polymer Replication on Micro- and Nanoscale. Macromol. Mater. Eng. 301 597–609 doi: 10.1002/mame.201500350, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mame.201500350
    • Rother, M., Barmettler, J., Reichmuth, A., Araujo, J. V., Rytka, C., Glaied, O., Pieles, U. and Bruns, N. (2015), Self-Sealing and Puncture Resistant Breathable Membranes for Water-Evaporation Applications. Adv. Mater. 27 6620-4 doi:10.1002/adma.201502761,  ttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201502761/full
      http://www.materialsviews.com/puncture-proof-and-self-sealing-water-tight-materials/
    • Rytka C. , Kristiansen. P. M., Neyer A. (2015), Iso- and variothermal injection compression molding of polymer micro- and nanostructures for optical and medical applications. J. Micromech. Microeng., 25 065008. http://iopscience.iop.org/0960-1317/25/6/065008/pdf/0960-1317_25_6_065008.pdf
    • P.M. Kristiansen, C. Rytka, M.J. Cheung, H. Schift, A. Schleunitz, C. Spreu, H. Solak, Kleinste Strukturen in der Massenfertigung abformen, PlasticsNow!, 2011, 20-21
    • C. Rytka, M. Kristiansen, M. Altana, H. Solak, J. Gobrecht, High Fidelity Mass Replication of Nanostructures Poster presentation at Nanotech-date Nordwestschweiz, Baden, Switzerland, March 29, 2011
    • C. Rytka, U. Bruggisser, M. Kristiansen, H. Solak, J. Gobrecht, Process Effects on Tool Stability in Nano-Injection Molding, Poster presentation at MNE 2010, Genova, Italy, September 19-22, 2010
    • C. Rytka, H. Schift, H. Solak, C. Hofmann, J. Gobrecht, Poster presentation at NNT 2009, San Jose, USA, November 11-13, 2009
    • CH719093A1 (2023) Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung einer geschäumten Polymercompositplatte aus Misch-Kunststoffabfall. BOXS AG, Rytka, C., Markstaller, R.
    • EP4047156A1 / CH718363A1 (2022) Bordbrett und Verbindungsstuck aus Kunststoff, ProCon-BTW GmbH, Rytka, C., Maurer, C., Botor, D., Zeltner, R., Tscharner, B., Tscharner, R.
    • WO2021094996A1; (2021) Impregnated thread, ribbed thin-walled composite product comprising such an impregnated thread, and method for manufacturing this thread and this composite product, Bcomp SA, Rytka, C., Rion, J., Aebischer, R., Masania, K., Botor, D., Jerinic, M.
    • DE102011087404-A1; WO2013079327-A2; WO2013079327-A3; AU2012344173-A1; EP2785278-A2; US2014296979-A1; EP2862545-A1, 2015, System for controlled loading of reconstructed or restored ligament i.e. front cruciate ligament, into knee joint of e.g. human body, has elastomer body guiding interaction of body with anchoring and connecting elements at elastic effect, Mathys Bettlach Ag; Delfosse D., De Cesaris A., Dransfeld C., Rytka C.
    • WO2012174673-A1, 2012, CH705159-A2 (2012); EP2723289-A1 (2014); US2014289986-A1, 2014, Cotton swab, useful e.g. for cleaning ears and eyes and for cosmetics, comprises rod-shaped grip body, and cotton body arranged on free end of the grip body, where the grip body is a biodegradable extrusion body and contains natural fibers, Roweg Holding Ag, Haeni B., Rytka C., Petignat G.
    • EP2871210-A1, 2015, Composition useful for composite material to produce plastic moldings as injection moldings, comprises cellulose fibers, matrix made of thermoplastic material, and adhesion promoter for embedding cellulose fibers in matrix, Rotho Kunst Ag, Rytka C.
    • US2010297373-A1 (2010); US8309643-B2 (2012), New polyamide molding compound comprising transparent polyamide, fibrous reinforcing material and particulate filler, useful in injection molding for producing molded article such as fiber, film, pipe and hollow body, Ems-Chemie Ag, Thullen H.; Rytka C.; Buehler F.; Hala R.

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    Education

    1996 – 2001

    Studies in Polymer Technology at University of Applied Science, Würzburg, Germany

    2006 – 2009

    Master studies in Micro and Nanotechnology at Nano-Netzwerk Bodensee-Region, graduated as M.Sc. Micro- and Nanotechnology

    2012 – 2016

    Doctoral Studies on Replication by Injection Moulding
    at TU Dortmund (Prof. Dr. A. Neyer, Prof. Dr. P.M. Kristiansen)

    Employment

    2001 – 2004

    Materials Engineer and Deputy Head of Materials Technology at Georg Fischer, Switzerland

    2004 – 2009

    Development Engineer in Application Technology and Deputy Head of Processing Department at Ems Chemie, Domat-Ems Switzerland

    2009 – 2016

    Senior Research Engineer at the Institute of Polymer Engineering (IKT) and the Institute of Polymer Nanotechnology (INKA) of the FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, School of Engineering, Windisch, Switzerland

    2016 - present

    Group leader polymer processing and professor at the FHNW Institute of Polymer Engineering and the FHNW Institute of Polymer Nanotechnology of the FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, School of Engineering, Windisch, Switzerland

    2016 - present

    Program Manager Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) Polymer Technologies

    School

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    FHNW Campus Brugg-Windisch

    Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW

    Bahnhofstrasse 6

    5210 Windisch