Prof. Dr. Christof Brändli

Work at ZHAW

Position

Senior Lecturer, Head Laboratory of Adhesives and Polymer Materials

Focus

Adhesive formulation, polymer synthesis, polymer functionalisation, polymer processing, rheology, thermo-mechanical analysis, surface charachterisation

Teaching

Senior Lecturer

Professional development teaching

CAS Circular Economy for Engineers

Experience

• Senior Lecturer, Head of Laboratory
  ZHAW
  09 / 2012 - today
• Research Scientist
  Dow Europe
  05 / 2007 - 08 / 2012
• Product Specialist
  Mettler-Toledo
  05 / 2005 - 04 / 2007
• R&D Leader
  Chemspeed Technology
  05 / 2001 - 04 / 2005
• Postdoc
  UCSB
  02 / 2000 - 04 / 2001
• PhD
  University of Berne
  01 / 1996 - 12 / 1999

Education and Continuing education

Education

dipl. chem. / Chemistry
University of Zurich
09 / 1990 - 12 / 1995

Network

ORCID digital identifier

ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1474-8453

Projects

• WAstewater Treatment with Conductive Copolymer Hydrogels covered with Microbial Biofilm / Project leader / ongoing
• Innovative Polyester-Hydrogels as Sustainable Filter Materials / Project leader / ongoing
• Better quality of life with Live4all: Intelligent wheelchair cushion to prevent pressure-related tissue damage / Team member / ongoing
• Guar Gum Bioplastics: Paving the Way for a Sustainable Future / Project leader / ongoing
• Glueing without sticking / Project leader / completed
• Modular bee magazines from the 3D printer / Co-project leader / completed
• Innovative development of a sustainable debonding-on-demand adhesive to promote the recycling of polyurethane mattresses / Project leader / completed
• Biomimetic material for MEX 3D printing in humidity with optimized isotropy / Project leader / completed
• Development of PEF/PET-starch hydrogels for Thai shrimp farms wastewater treatment / Project leader / completed
• Innovation Booster Applied Circular Sustainability / Team member / completed
• Printer for optical lenses for fast prototyping and small series / Deputy project leader / completed
• Adhesive for sports equipment with broad adhesion range and optimal curing process / Project leader / completed
• Development of a structural rubber adhesive / Project leader / completed
• Development of new family of high-endurance sealing system(s) for high-pressure / fast pneumatic valves / Project leader / completed
• Functional polyolefinic adhesives / Project leader / completed

Publications

Articles in scientific journal, peer-reviewed

• Yamada, E., Brändli, C. and Ejima, H. (2026) 'Reversible surface functionalization of cellulose nanocrystals mediated by metal-phenolic networks', ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 14(6), pp. 2900–2908. doi: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.5c10711.
• Guder, M. et al. (2024) 'Revealing the impact of viscoelastic characteristics on performance parameters of UV-crosslinked hotmelt pressure-sensitive adhesives : insights from time-temperature superposition analysis', Polymers, 16(15), p. 2123. doi: 10.3390/polym16152123.
• Günther, R., Caseri, W. and Brändli, C. (2023) 'Application of atmospheric-pressure jet plasma in the presence of acrylic acid for joining polymers without adhesives', Materials, 16(7), p. 2673. doi: 10.3390/ma16072673.
• Günther, R., Caseri, W. and Brändli, C. (2022) 'Copper ions absorbed on acrylic-acid-grafted polystyrene enable direct bonding with tunable bonding strength and debonding on demand', Polymers, 14(23), p. 5142. doi: 10.3390/polym14235142.
• Günther, R., Caseri, W. R. and Brändli, C. (2021) 'Direct bonding and de‐bonding on demand of polystyrene and polyamide surfaces, treated with oxygen plasma', Journal of Applied Polymer Science. doi: 10.1002/app.51753.
• Song Ko, Y. et al. (2019) 'Improving the filament weld-strength of Fused Filament Fabrication products through improved interdiffusion', Additive Manufacturing. doi: 10.1016/j.addma.2019.100815.
• Schaible, S. et al. (2018) 'Process optimization for improved adhesion in the grafting of triethoxyvinylsilane on VLDPE via reactive extrusion', European Polymer Journal, 107, pp. 9–14. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2018.07.046.
• Ledergerber, P. et al. (2016) 'Basic study on the evaluation of thermoplastic polymers as hot-melt adhesives for mixed-substrate joining', Open Journal of Applied Sciences, 6, pp. 579–592. doi: 10.4236/ojapps.2016.68057.
• Harling, S. et al. (2013) 'Latent reactive polyurethanes based on toluenediisocyanate-uretdione and polycaprolactones', International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives, 46, pp. 26–33. doi: 10.1016/j.ijadhadh.2013.05.012.

Other publications

• Maurer, A. et al. (2026) 'Kunststoffe fit für 2050 machen', KunststoffXtra, 2026(9-10), pp. 49–55.
• Bonora, E., Cerqua, S. and Brändli, C. (2025) 'Nachhaltige Hydrogele aus PET und PEF', KunststoffXtra, 2025(11/12). Available at: https://kunststoffxtra.com/nachhaltige-hydrogele-aus-pet-und-pef/.
• Cerqua, S. et al. (2024) 'PEF/PET-starch hydrogels from recycled sources for shrimp farm's wastewater treatment', in Fachkonferenz Technik, Architektur und Life Sciences (FTAL), Lugano, Switzerland, 14-15 November 2024.
• Brändli, C. et al. (2024) 'Klebetechnische Untersuchungen für Batterie-Kühlplatten', adhäsion KLEBEN & DICHTEN, 68(7), pp. 40–45. doi: 10.1007/s35145-024-1650-6.
• Günther, R., Caseri, W. and Brändli, C. (2023) 'Molekulares Kleben durch den Einsatz von Plasma und Metallionen', adhäsion KLEBEN & DICHTEN, 67(10), pp. 44–49. doi: 10.1007/s35145-023-1228-8.
• Arnold, S. et al. (2022) 'Modular und 3D-gedruckt', KunststoffXtra, 2022(5-6), pp. 21–24. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-25180.
• Schroffenegger, M. and Brändli, C. (2021) 'Der beste Schaum kommt von der Statistik', KunststoffXtra, 2021(9), pp. 26–29. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-23135.
• Brändli, C. et al. (2019) 'Präzisionsbauteile durch 3D-Druck', KunststoffXtra, 2019(12), pp. 71–74.
• Brändli, C. (2016) 'Warum klebt der Leim überall, aber nicht in der Tube?', in Kinder fragen Experten. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, pp. 31–35.
• Brändli, C. (2016) 'Funktionalisierte Polymere : Klebstoffentwicklung', KunststoffXtra, 2016(12), pp. 48–51. Available at: http://issuu.com/sigwerbgmbh/docs/layout_kx_12-2016_buch?e=2736742/41870461.
• Brändli, C. (2015) 'Innovationen in der Klebstoffentwicklung : neuartige, reaktive Klebefolien - Vernetzbare Schmelzklebstoffe - Selbstheilende Klebstoffe', Innovation Report, pp. 146–151.
• Brändli, C. (2015) 'Selbstheilende Klebstoffe', in Innovation Report 2015. Luzern: Swiss Plastics, pp. 150–151.
• Meincke, O. and Brändli, C. (2015) 'Neuartige, reaktive Klebefolien', in Innovation Report 2015. Luzern: Swiss Plastics, pp. 146–147.
• Brändli, C. (2015) 'Massgeschneidert Kleben', Swiss Engineering STZ, 112(9), pp. 20–22.
• Walter, M. and Brändli, C. (2015) 'Vernetzbare Schmelzklebestoffe', in Innovation Report 2015. Luzern: Swiss Plastics, pp. 148–149.
• Brändli, C. (2015) 'Warum klebt Leim? : Kinder fragen Experten', Aktuelle Technik, 2015(6), pp. 30–31.
• Brändli, C. (2014) 'Klebrig und reaktiv bis zur Marktreife', Materials.Now!, pp. 12–13.
• Lutz, A., Droste, A. and Brändli, C. (2013) Strukturkleben im Fahrzeugleichtbau : Eigenschaften Haftungsspektrum moderner Strukturklebstoffe, Simulation und Anwendung im Karosserierohbau und in der Montage. München: Verlag Moderne Industrie.

Oral conference contributions and abstracts

• Bonora, E. et al. (2025) 'PEF/rPET-starch hydrogels from recycled sources for wastewater treatment', in Nordic Polymer Days 2025, Trondheim, Norway, 11-13 June 2025.
• Brändli, C. (2023) 'Die Leichtigkeit des Klebens von Kunststoffen', in Swiss Plastics Expo, Luzern, Schweiz, 19. Januar 2023. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGfdOFgKiLA&t=11s.
• Brändli, C. (2022) 'Adhesion and polymer applications - from a chemist's perspective', in Forschungsseminar der Hochschule für Life Sciences FHNW, Muttenz, Switzerland, 15. June 2022.
• Brändli, C. (2022) 'Neue Technologien in der Klebstoffforschung', in Kickoff Praxiszirkel Klebetechnik: Einsatz von Klebstoffen: gestern, heute, morgen, Brugg, Schweiz, 19. Mai 2022.
• Brändli, C. (2019) 'Faszination Klebstoffe : Sicht eines Chemikers', in Fachveranstaltung 'Kleben' NTN Innovative Oberflächen, Winterthur, 04. Juni 2019.
• Brändli, C. (2018) 'The art of adhesive formulation to meet the requirements of specific industrial applications', in 1st Rapperswil International Bonding Forum, Rapperswil, 27 June 2018.
• Brändli, C. (2018) 'Reaktive Extrusion zur Herstellung von Haftvermittlern für die Co-extrusion', in Technische Anwendungen von coextrudierten Folien (FGKS-Veranstaltung), Schmitten, 21. Juni 2018.
• Brändli, C. and Schaible, S. (2017) 'Chemical modification of polyolefins for improved adhesion by reactive extrusion', in Chimia. Schweizerische Chemische Gesellschaft, p. 510. doi: 10.2533/chimia.2017.510.

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