Toward Sustainable Textile Processing
The dyeing and finishing processes in the textile industry currently require a lot of water—which is an increasingly scarce resource. However, postdoc Dr. Molla Tadesse Abate is seeking to change this: "I aim to significantly reduce water consumption in the dyeing and finishing of textiles and, if possible, to test other processes that do not require any water at all." Abate has already written his doctoral thesis on this topic at the University of Borås in Sweden.
I want to significantly reduce water consumption in textile processing, and even explore other processes that do not require any water.Dr. Molla Tadesse Abate, Postdoctoral Researcher and Holder of the Georg Forster Fellowship, Hof University of Applied Sciences
Abate sees potential applications for his research primarily in the field of functional sportswear and medicine/care, where he is focusing on moisture management and antimicrobial functions. "If it succeeds, fresh water is no longer needed for such processes. There would be no wastewater generation and therefore no wastewater treatment," says the researcher. This would significantly reduce the costs of both using fresh water and treating wastewater. The advantages of such technology are therefore both ecological and economic.
New Applications for Existing Technologies
Abate’s focus is the use of supercritical CO2 technology. The process itself is not new: it has long been used in extraction, decaffeination, and dry cleaning. Since 2010, it has been commercially used for dyeing polyester fibers. What is new is that it is now also being considered for use in the dyeing and finishing of other sustainable synthetic fibers, such as biodegradable polyester, polyamides, and PLA (i.e., polylactic acid). In the future, Abate aims to further develop and adapt this technology for use with other textile fibers and processes, particularly fibers made from recycled or bio-based polymers.
A Global Research Career
Abate has traveled the world for his research: originally from Ethiopia, he studied at Bahir Dar University and completed a joint doctoral program through Erasmus Mundus at the University of Borås (Sweden), Politecnico di Torino (Italy), and Soochow University (China). After having been nominated for the Georg Forster Research Fellowship, one of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation's prestigious fellowships, on 1 July 2023, he began his postdoctoral research activities at the Institute of Materials Sciences (ifm) at Hof University of Applied Sciences, a place with a long textile tradition and royal roots.
"It's a win-win situation for all of us," says his host Prof. Dr. Michael Rauch, who appreciates his new colleague's international focus. "Normally, universities of applied sciences don't receive Alexander von Humboldt Fellowships, so this is a real honor for our university and our institute. The Georg Forster Research Fellowship was a perfect fit for Dr. Abate."
The Georg Forster Research Fellowship was a perfect fit for Dr. Abate. Hosting him at our institute is a win-win situation for all of us and an honor for our university.Michael Rauch, Professor and Research Group Leader at the Institute of Materials Science (ifm), Hof UAS
Abate has already undertaken a study trip through Germany with the other new Alexander von Humboldt Fellows. The group visited various cities and landscapes, historical sites, museums, industrial companies, and research institutes, and took part in cultural programs. "The tour helped me to get to know Germany in all its facets and I now understand much better what makes Germans tick," says Abate.
Thanks to this increased familiarity with German culture, it has been easier for him to settle in Hof. Abate said, the university's Housing Office, Prof. Rauch, the International Office, and the Research Marketing Office provided invaluable support in helping him settle in Hof. He also highlighted his participation in meetings of the International Researchers Group meetings, as well as university meetings and gatherings, where he connects with fellow researchers and exchanges ideas. These activities have been instrumental in fostering connections and learning more about the cultures of different countries, including Bavarian culture.
Connecting Researchers across Continents
The collaboration between textile researchers in Münchberg and Bahir Dar has almost become a tradition: "The first links between Hof University of Applied Sciences and Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia were established over a decade ago," says Rauch. He explains: "The first contacts were made in the period 2010–2013. Prof. Dr. Reinhart Möckel, who has since retired, spent some time there to develop and expand textile research. During this time, the first DAAD scholarship holder of the 'PhD by research' program also came to Münchberg: Abera Kechi. He completed his doctorate on the subject of Ethiopian natural dyes for textiles." Today, he is working as an Associate Professor at Bahir Dar University, and a total of three researchers have spent their research stay at Münchberg campus in cooperation with DAAD.
Funding and Research Opportunities
Interested in collaborating with researchers in Bavaria or planning your PhD abroad? Use our database to search for a supervisor or find colleagues in your field. Once initial contacts have been made, professional advice, funding and mobility opportunities are key to developing your research activities:
Individual Funding for African Researchers
From short to long-term stays, international researchers will find various funding opportunities offered by the DAAD, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and many other organizations to finance their stay in Bavaria.
Promoting Scientific Collaboration between African and Bavarian Researchers
The Bavarian Office for Africa in Addis Ababa serves as a contact point and hub for relations between Bavaria and the African continent, developing forward-looking partnerships between interested stakeholders, including in the field of scientific cooperation.
The Scientific Cooperation Office Bavaria-Africa (WKS) organizes networking events on specific research topics and advises Bavarian researchers on suitable funding programs for their projects with African partners. While the focus is on obtaining European funding, researchers can also apply for support in initiating international projects, e.g. in the form of mobility grants under the Bavarian Program for the Initiation of International Projects (BayIntAn).
Funding programs like the DAAD program and the Humboldt fellowship have been essential for building the successful research partnership between Hof University of Applied Sciences and Bahir Dar University—and beyond. "In the course of the activities in Ethiopia, contacts were also established in Nigeria. There were requests for DAAD-funded research stays in Münchberg as part of a DAAD postdoc program for Sub-Saharan Africa. I have a contact person at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Through Idowu J. Diyaolu (PhD), I also received an invitation to give a virtual lecture at the TRAN conference in October 2023."
International Cooperation Strengthens Textile Research
This longstanding international cooperation has also resulted in the strengthening of textile research at the Münchberg campus—especially in basic research areas. In addition to Abera Kechi, Yimer Hussen Hassen, who worked on the fundamentals of high finishing/easy-care finishing, also participated in the "PhD by research" program. He is currently in the final stages of his dissertation, and Rauch took part in his online defense.
As part of the Humboldt Fellowship, Abate is now working on the dyeing and functionalization of PET and PLA with supercritical CO2. He will spend the next two to three years conducting research in Hof and Münchberg. During this period, he will also make short research trips to Sweden where he will be using supercritical CO2 dyeing equipment for his research. Will he settle down somewhere one day? "I will work wherever I find good working conditions and opportunities for my research projects."
Hopefully, his extensive international experience and research that addresses pressing questions about water use and sustainability will stand him in good stead.
