PI workshop with an external presentation by Dr. Raoul Meys, co-founder of carbon minds
Da die chemische Industrie zunehmend auf klimafreundlichere Produktionsverfahren und Nachhaltigkeit umstellt, ist die Durchführung effektiver Lebenszyklusanalysen (LCAs) ein wichtiger Aspekt, der berücksichtigt werden muss. Diese Analysen erfordern oft fundiertes Fachwissen, große Datenmengen und die richtigen digitalen Tools, um aussagekräftige Erkenntnisse zu liefern. Unser letzter PI-Workshop begann mit einem externen Vortrag von Dr. Raoul Meys, Mitbegründer […]
Strategy for the development of sustainable, high-performance thermoplastic polyurethanes
A new publication, co-authored by catalaix core team member Prof. Dr. Lars M. Blank from the Institute of Applied Microbiology, presents an innovative strategy for developing sustainable, high-performance thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs). This work demonstrates how biotechnology and polymer chemistry can jointly create a genuine alternative to petroleum-based plastics and opens up new perspectives for a […]
Plastics Recycling and Upcycling GRC (Gordon Research Conferences) From waste to valuable material – the future of plastics.
The Plastics Recycling and Upcycling GRC (Gordon Research Conferences) is a leading international scientific conference dedicated to promoting cutting-edge research in plastics recycling and upcycling. The five-day event took place in July in Manchester, New Hampshire (USA) (https://www.grc.org/plastics-recycling-and-upcycling-conference/2025/), focusing on intensive discussions and networking across all career levels to foster collaboration and build lasting scientific […]
Constantin Maaß, doctoral candidate in the research group of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jørgen Magnus at the Institute of Process Engineering – Bioprocess Engineering
And now for a new round of introductions! We are pleased to introduce you to the research group of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jørgen Magnus from the Institute of Process Engineering – Bioprocess Engineering (AVT.BioVT) at RWTH Aachen University. Constantin Maaß, a doctoral candidate in the research group, provides insights into his daily work, including personal challenges […]
Lennard Schulte, Systems Engineering at AVT (SVT.AVT)
Plastic fingerprints? That’s exactly what process technology uses! Did you know that every polymer has a unique infrared spectrum, essentially its own chemical fingerprint? Lennard Schulte, a doctoral candidate in Systems Process Engineering at AVT, is taking advantage of this. His research demonstrates how these spectra can be used to measure reaction-time-dependent concentrations in real […]
Tabea Becker, doctoral candidate in the research group of Prof. Dr. Sonja Herres-Pawlis
We are pleased to introduce you to the research group of Prof. Dr. Sonja Herres – Pawlis from the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry at RWTH Aachen University! Tabea Becker, a doctoral student in the research group, gives us insights into her daily research, including personal challenges and highlights as part of the “Chemical Transformations” sub-area […]
Researcher Workshop with guest lecture by Prof. Nick Wierckx
This researcher workshop began with a guest lecture by Prof. Nick Wierckx, who spoke about the upcycling of polymers by microorganisms. A central focus of his research is the biodegradation of nylon, a particularly challenging task due to the material’s high stability, and its subsequent upgrading to polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) by bioengineered microorganisms. Afterwards, researchers from […]
Dye naturally
Want to dye eggs (or fabrics) naturally? It’s easy! Did you know that the color of blueberries comes primarily from a group of plant pigments called anthocyanins? These belong to the flavonoid family and are responsible for the fruit’s deep blue to violet color. Turmeric contains curcumin, a vibrant yellow-orange natural pigment, as its main […]
Lack of transparency in the recycling industry
Derzeit herrscht in den technischen Prozessen der Recyclingindustrie noch erhebliche Intransparenz. Aufgrund der hohen Variabilität der Abfallstoffe und des fehlenden Wissens über deren spezifische Zusammensetzung können technische Systeme oft nicht optimal und effizient betrieben werden. The ANTS project, led by catalaix PI Prof. Dr. Kathrin Greiff, is contributing to increasing transparency in the long term. […]
From data to solutions: process engineering for a sustainable future.
How can process engineering, data-driven tools, and systems analysis contribute to sustainable solutions? At the catalaix Principal Investigator (PI) workshop last week, the consortium presented current research, highlighted interdisciplinary collaborations within the catalaix network, and discussed next steps. Um kreislaufwirtschaftliche Strategien zu entwickeln, die über lineare Wertschöpfungsketten hinausgehen, sind ganzheitliche, innovative Ansätze auf molekularer Ebene […]