Originally funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs’ ZIM-cooperation network, “UseCO2” has the goal to utilize carbon dioxide instead of fossil feedstock, such as crude oil and natural gas, as starting material for sustainable products. The participants develop technologies to fix CO2 from industry emission and from the atmosphere to transform them into basic chemicals. This way, everyday products are produced, such as synthetic fibers, lubricants, adhesives, plastics or even fuels. Compared to their equivalents made of crude oil, these products have a lower “CO2-footprint” or are totally CO2-neutral. Using CO2 with the aid of microorganisms, plants, algae or physico-chemical synthesis are not only climate-friendly but also sustainable. The network intends to deliver solutions through developing new technologies and products in order to become independent from available crude oil or fluctuating crude oil prices. Hence, the network supports transforming our crude oil-based society into a sustainable one.
Former R&D‑Partners: bbi-biotech, plan-bee, provenion, Romex RPG, TUM — Industrial Biocatalysis, Universität Bayreuth — Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry II
Sewage treatment plants do more than just clean wastewater. They are also sources of raw materials. In the KoalAplan project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and…
A research team from the University of Basel has developed a new molecule modeled on plant photosynthesis: under the influence of light, it stores two positive and two negative charges at the same…
A carbon-fiber plastic composite that heals itself like skin and reshapes under heat is set to revolutionize the aerospace, defense and commercial industries.