Chemistry

A bio-based wood protection against fire

Building with wood is trendy and sustainable. But the popular material has one drawback: It is inherently flammable. However, conventional fire-retardant coatings are rarely environmentally friendly because they are mostly made from fossil raw materials. Nature is now becoming the inspiration for the development of a biobased fire-retardant coating for wooden buildings.

Biodegradable packaging made from popcorn

Popcorn is a popular snack - but that's not all. The grains could also be a new resource for replacing conventional plastic or Styrofoam. A team led by Göttingen researcher Alireza Kharazipour has spent ten years taking a closer look at popcorn grains to find out whether they are suitable for the production of new sustainable products. As a result, a process has been developed with which 3D molded bodies for various packaging can be produced from a popcorn granulate.

nova-Institut (2021): Turning off the Tap for Fossil Carbon

The report "Turning off the Tap for Fossil Carbon" shows how demand is being met today and how it could be met by renewable carbon in 2050.

Impregnating outdoor textiles sustainably

Outdoor textiles must be practical and functional: they should protect equally well against rain, wind and dirt. To meet these high demands, the textile industry has so far used so-called hydrophobing agents for impregnation. However, these usually consist of petroleum-based fluorine compounds, which have been proven to harm the environment and people. Rudolf GmbH, a company specializing in textile chemicals, now wants to launch a fluorine-free alternative made from renewable raw materials.

"Microalgae on building facades can green the city"

Microalgae are a beacon of hope for the bioeconomy. Not only manufacturers of food and animal feed rely on them, but microalgae are also becoming increasingly important for the production of biofuel and new plastics. Linus Stegbauer now wants to establish these talented single-celled organisms in the construction sector. To this end, the Stuttgart chemist wants to develop biointelligent facade elements for buildings that are coated with a special biofilm made of microalgae.

Using bacteria to produce plastic from waste

Plastics are versatile and durable, but it is precisely their long durability that is the problem: petroleum-based plastics do not decompose and pollute the environment. Bio-based alternatives made from renewable raw materials do exist. But they are not environmentally friendly per se unless they are also sustainably produced, recyclable or biodegradable. This is the approach taken by the PHABIO APP project.

Role model farming by Bayer

“Environmental policy is part of agriculture.” This was a clear message by Christian Schmidt, the Federal Minister of Agriculture, at the recent  “Dialogue for the future: Agriculture and Food”. Thus far this sector is under a lot of pressure due to its high CO2 Emissions. The demands for more sustainability in terms of farming and animal husbandry have been at the top of the political agenda for some time now. However, there are already a number of farms that fully embrace a resource-saving and environmentally conscious production.

Fuel from biowaste and electricity

Fossil resources are becoming scarce and their use is a burden on the environment. Therefore new technologies to replace these resources are needed. Part of the replacement can be achieved by employing electrical power production based on renewable resources, such as wind and solar energy. Additionally, renewable feedstocks and waste streams have to be considered as valuable precursors for the production of commodities and fuels.

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