The project PolyKARD is a research and development project in the program ProMatLeben - Polymers. It is funded within the framework programme "From Material to Innovation".
The pericard surrounds the heart and is made of an elastic mechanically extremely stable material. Due to its unique properties, the body's own or processed pericard of animal origin has long served as a reinforcing and sealing material in cardiac surgery, e.g. for closing septal defects or in the construction of commercially available biological heart valves. In long-term use, calcifications and hardening of the material can be observed. This explains, for example, the limited durability of biological heart valve prostheses. This project is being executed at the NMI under the supervision of Dr. Hanna Hartmann in collaboration with multiple project partners.