Focus topics

Guided by the 12 principles of green chemistry, we develop synthesis processes that not only minimise the use of fossil raw materials, but also impress with their energy and resource efficiency and the reduction of waste streams. High-performance catalysts and the skilful interplay of chemistry and process engineering play a central role in improving the sustainability of organic, biotechnological and electrochemical processes.

Modelling, simulation and optimisation form the triad with which we support synthesis and process developments and seek optimisation for existing processes at both the reaction technology and process engineering level. We use customised process analytics to collect the necessary data where necessary. Our in-house developed software tools serve our industrial partners as valuable interactive decision-making aids for the best possible process designs and process parameters.

A central element of sustainable chemical processes is to bring together raw material and waste streams in cycles. We offer our industrial partners a broad portfolio of expertise in this area, be it technical processes and methods for material recycling and the recovery of important chemical building blocks, new recyclable material developments or methods for transparent life cycle assessment.

The human and ecotoxicological safety of chemicals is of central importance for their industrial production and use. We have been supporting our industrial partners for many years with the relevant analyses, studies and method developments that are essential for regulatory issues. In addition, we analyse, design and implement hazardous processes, e.g. with regard to thermal safety, explosion protection or the handling of highly reactive synthesis building blocks.

We support our industrial partners with key technical and economic issues relating to the scaling up of chemical synthesis and processing procedures. Utilising our pilot plants under industry-like scales and boundary conditions generates valuable process data and relevant sample quantities for subsequent industrial production. This reduces the entrepreneurial risk at a crucial point in time and accelerates market entry.

The economic success of chemical processes is largely determined by their energy and resource efficiency. In times when fossil raw materials are increasingly being replaced by more complex biogenic ones and raw materials from waste streams, the requirements for efficient process steps are increasing significantly. We support our partners here with a broad spectrum of process technology and materials development work, whether through the design of efficient separation processes or customised reactor concepts.