Plastic waste has long been recognized as a global problem, but it is far from being solved. Recyclable and compostable plastics are expected to be part of the solution. Now, a research group has developed a new class of recyclable plastics that is also bio-based: Their basis is made of sugars derived from plants, specifically xylose molecules.
Plastic is a durable and versatile material. But the longevity of petroleum-based plastics is both a blessing and a curse, as plastic waste severely pollutes the environment. One alternative is biobased and biodegradable plastics, which are made from renewable raw materials or biogenic residues instead of petroleum. Researchers from Tübingen are now bringing a new player into play as a bioplastics manufacturer: cyanobacteria.
The consequences of malaria continue to kill around 650,000 people every year - mainly children under the age of five. Although there are effective drugs against the infectious disease, many cannot afford them. However, that could soon change. A team led by biochemist Peter H. Seeberger of the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam has developed a chemical process that makes the production of artemisinin, the most important antimalarial agent, not only sustainable but also inexpensive.
There is a huge and seemingly ever-growing market for cosmetics. Men and women of all ages are using countless products to improve or protect their skin and to style their hair. However, the ingredients of many of these products are still fossil-based petrochemicals.
No matter if car, wind turbine or airplane: In order for a machine to run smoothly, it usually needs one or more lubricants. Today, the chemical industry has a wide range of specialized and widely optimized lubricants and bonded coatings. However, their components and additives are traditionally based on fossil raw materials.
Anyone who wants to walk along the ceiling as a human probably needs Konrad's super glue from the story "Pippi Longstocking" or another technical trick. However, some animals naturally have the ability to defy gravity and can crawl along walls or ceilings. Using the hunting spider as an example, German researchers have investigated which molecular structures enable the animals to permanently withstand the enormous mechanical stresses that act on their tiny adhesive hairs.
There ia war raging in nature: to gain advantages, microorganisms permanently use chemical molecules to fight against other microorganisms. Researchers at the University of Tübingen have now identified a molecule that could be used as a potent herbicide and that is harmless to humans.
The specialty chemicals group Evonik started its venture capital business in 2012 with €100 million and launched its first venture capital fund. In this way, the Essen-based company aims to secure access to forward-looking technologies and innovative business models. A total of 25 investments in start-ups in the fields of health care, new materials, animal nutrition and special additives were created from the first fund. Up to 5 million euros were available to the founders for the realisation of their ideas and their successful market entry.
The plastic mountains from old packaging need to be reduced - on this, consumers and companies agree. But in addition to product protection, plastic packaging also offers other advantages such as low weight. That is why most manufacturers do not want to eliminate the use of plastics, but rather to develop a clever packaging design that allows as much recycling as possible.
Dirt or food - that is probably a question of perspective. Fats, proteins, carbohydrates and also urea - the substances that make up a large part of the dirt in kitchens and bathrooms - serve bacteria as food. Some manufacturers of cleaning products have recently started advertising that their products contain bacteria that are supposed to improve the cleaning effect. Microbiologists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have now explained that this is not plausible for several reasons.