The establishment of sustainable innovations and contributions to a circular economy represent the most important challenges for a future innovation-driven industrial society. Moreover, avoiding fossil carbon feedstock currently represents the most urgent issue within the Anthropocene.

Here, sustainable chemical solutions open up a whole range of attractive options for challenges in raw material supply, energy conversion, chemical processes, and in materials science. The primary goal of this research initiative is the use of renewable raw materials, non-critical elements and the efficient use of renewable energies for the activation as well as conversion.

To achieve this goal, the Faculties 09 (Chemistry) and 10 (Biology) are working closely together. Biotransformations such as microbial activations and conversions will be combined with cutting-edge technologies such as electrosynthesis and photocatalysis. Critical elements, such as valuable and rare metals, are exchanged. Fossil and limited resources are systematically avoided.

Instead, waste streams and renewable feedstocks are used as carbon sources and common elements are used. Sustainable, green and as waste-free as possible processes, a circular economy, as well as innovative disruptive scientific and technological advances are targeted.
LogoProject nameFunded by
eBiotechSPP 2240 eBiotech
(project: NGeCascades – Next Generation electroenzy-matic cascades for complex molecules)		DFG
ECHELON – Disruptive Electrode Electrolyte Approaches beyond Contemporary Limitations
ECHELON – Disruptive Electrode Electrolyte Approaches beyond Contemporary Limitations		Carl Zeiss Stiftung

ETOS – Electrifying Technical Organic Synthesis		Zukunftscluster-Initiative des BMBF
SPP 2102 Light-controlled reactivity of metal complexes
SPP 2102 Light-controlled reactivity of metal complexes		DFG
FOR 2982 UNODEFOR 2982 UNODE – Unusual anODE reactions in electrochemical energy conversion: Value creation rather than oxygen evolution in hydrogen productionDFG
SElectiveLiSElectiveLi – Conceptual Study of Electrochemical based novel process using Lignosulfonates to produce biobased monomers & polymersEU (Horizon 2020)
EBIOEBIO – Biofuels through Electrochemical transformation of intermediate BIO-liquidsEU (Horizon 2020)

Resource-saving chemistry includes the avoidance of both fossil carbon and rare and valuable metals. For example, precious metals such as platinum, iridium and ruthenium are used in traditional catalysis. It is therefore a very important goal to replace the rare and critical elements with readily available ones. In addition, conventional catalysis can be replaced by other activation modes.
Renewable raw materials and the resulting residual streams, which have so far only been used to a limited extent for the chemical synthesis of precursors for polymer applications or the construction of complex compounds, offer great potential for a sustainable economy. So far, these material flows have mainly been used thermally to generate steam and electricity.
The material use of these biogenic residual material flows for the production of fine chemicals and their use in polymer chemistry as well as in the synthesis of active ingredients still permits thermal use. Without going into the so-called fuel plate problem – after all, material conversion should not compete with food production. Instead of burning the biomass, it is highly desirable to use the material upstream. Only a small part of the primary biomass produced could easily cover the carbon requirements of the chemical industry.