Chemistry

Stopping PFAS at the Source: Innovating Industrial Wastewater Treatment

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In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Dr. Rhea Machado, the CEO and co-founder of Porelio, to discuss their solution for removing forever chemicals from our drinking water. We explore the widespread issue of PFAS accumulating in our water, our food, and even unborn children, and how short-chain PFAS remain a massive challenge because traditional methods like activated carbon and ion exchange resins fail to capture them. Rhea shares Porelio’s journey as a spinoff from the Technical University Berlin, where they took highly efficient but traditionally hard-to-produce functionalized ordered meso-porous silica and successfully scaled it for industrial use.

The conversation dives deep into Porelio’s innovative approach, which uses an ordered pore structure equipped with engineered functional groups to quickly and selectively catch specific target molecules, whether that is toxic PFAS in industrial wastewater or valuable precious metals. We discuss the multifaceted challenges of scaling a B2B chemistry startup, from defining unit economics to simultaneously scaling production and navigating regulatory pathways like REACH, all while trying to find innovative R&D partners in a conservative industry.

Beyond Fertilizer: The Future of Low-Emission Ammonia

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In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Kevin Rouwenhorst, the technology manager at the Ammonia Energy Association, to discuss the future of sustainable ammonia synthesis. We explore his journey into the clean molecule space, which ultimately led him to write a comprehensive book on low-emission ammonia technologies. Kevin clarifies a common misconception about the traditional Haber-Bosch process, explaining that over 90% of its CO2 emissions actually stem from hydrogen production, such as steam methane reforming or coal gasification, rather than the ammonia synthesis loop itself.
The conversation dives deep into the challenges of decarbonizing this massive industry, focusing on the high costs of scaling green electrolytic hydrogen and the complexities of retrofitting existing plants for carbon capture. We discuss the engineering hurdles of designing flexible ammonia plants that can adapt to the variable loads of renewable energy sources. Beyond its traditional use in fertilizers, we explore exciting emerging use cases for low-emission ammonia, including its adoption as a zero-carbon maritime fuel, and its potential for power generation, such as co-firing in thermal plants and fueling combined cycle gas turbines. The episode concludes with a look at safety standards, the geopolitical implications of localizing energy production, and the fascinating history behind the Haber-Bosch process and Alwin Mittasch’s catalyst discovery.

Scaling Sustainable Chemistry: How Startups Can Transform the Industry

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In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Stefan Weber and Martin Bellof, the founders of Chemstars, to discuss how to overcome common hurdles for founders in the chemical space. We explore the massive transformation currently underway in the chemical industry. Startups are a vital missing puzzle piece to help the industry move toward circularity, climate neutrality, and industrial resilience. Stefan and Martin explain how they help connect the startup ecosystem with the chemical industry to bring scientific innovations from the lab to the market.
The conversation dives deep into the specific challenges chemistry founders face, such as lacking industry know-how, navigating a highly regulated market, and securing the capital needed to scale technical processes from the lab to industrial facilities. The episode concludes with actionable advice on the importance of getting out of the lab to validate ideas with potential customers. We also discuss the need to simplify complex science through storytelling and how to leverage early-stage networks.

How innovative coatings are stopping microplastic pollution of the Ocean

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In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Dr. Christina Linke, a co-founder of Clean Ocean Coatings, to discuss how innovative chemistry can solve the pressing issue of biofouling in the shipping industry. We explore the massive environmental and economic costs of marine organisms attaching to ship hulls, which increases drag and leads to an estimated $150 billion in annual damages. Christina shares her journey from being a food scientist to discovering a nanostructured material, ultimately leading her to launch the startup during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The conversation dives deep into the devastating effects of traditional self-polishing coatings, which intentionally wash off over time to leach toxic biocides and microplastics into the oceans. To solve this, Clean Ocean Coatings developed a completely biocide-free, solvent-free hard coating that creates a super smooth surface, allowing for easy cleaning and generating significant fuel savings. The episode concludes with a look at the conservative nature of the maritime industry, the flawed regulatory challenges surrounding the cleaning of ship hulls, and actionable advice for scientists looking to bring their research to market through university startup hubs.

Why Reversing the Haber-Bosch Process Requires a New Catalyst

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In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Malte Behrens, a professor of inorganic solid-state chemistry at the University of Kiel, to discuss ammonia as a vital carrier for the hydrogen economy. We explore the challenges of transporting pure hydrogen and how converting it into ammonia offers a more practical, carbon-free solution due to its ease of liquefaction and higher volumetric energy density. Malte shares his journey from solid-state chemistry to heterogeneous catalysis. The conversation dives deep into the necessity of discovering effective and scalable catalysts to decompose, or “crack” ammonia back into hydrogen gas for energy use and nitrogen.
The discussion highlights the limitations of using traditional iron catalysts, as well as the economic barriers of using highly active but expensive ruthenium. To solve this, Malte’s research focuses on alloying iron with cobalt to prevent bulk nitridation, effectively finding the optimal balance of binding energy on the Sabatier volcano curve. The episode concludes with a look at the future of green ammonia, emphasizing the need for renewable energy-driven electrolysis to power a sustainable global energy trade.

Safe Hydrogen Storage with Salts: Alternative to Pressure Tanks and Ammonia

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In this episode of Innovate and React, host I sit down with Jonas Massa, co-founder of AKROS Energy, to tackle the pressing challenges of hydrogen storage and transportation. While green hydrogen is a promising energy carrier for fluctuating renewables, its highly flammable nature poses significant safety and regulatory hurdles, especially for decentralized applications involving non-specialist personnel. Jonas breaks down why conventional storage methods, like highly pressurized vessels or toxic ammonia, fall short for widespread, small-scale use.
To solve this, AKROS Energy is developing a revolutionary method that stores hydrogen in everyday, non-toxic salts, namely potassium bicarbonate and potassium formate. Jonas explains their streamlined, low-temperature catalytic process and they want to scale it up. A great alternative to Ammonia and LOHC.

How to bring chemical innovations from research to application

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In this episode of Innovate and React, i am talking with Dr. Petra Ryl, innovation and talent lead at greenCHEM Berlin. We explore how innovation is transforming the chemical industry and how research from universities can be applied practically. Petra shares her journey from academic biochemical research to working at greenCHEM, explaining the importance of sustainable materials and the transition from fossil-based to regenerative resources. They discuss the role of disruptive innovation, the advantages of startups in driving change, and how greenCHEM supports entrepreneurs through various programs, including technology transfer, academic partnerships, and a robust network. Highlights include specific examples of pioneering startups within the greenCHEM network and advice for researchers considering entrepreneurial pathways.

The beginning and challenges of Natural Products in cancer treatments

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This episode of Innovate and React explores the fascinating history of natural product research and its pivotal role in developing life-saving cancer treatments. The journey begins in the 1950s and 60s with the National Cancer Institute’s efforts to screen thousands of plant extracts for biological activity. Through the stories of landmark compounds like camptothecin and Taxol, Kevin illustrates the complex collaboration required between botanists and chemists to isolate active ingredients from nature and transform them into viable medical therapies.
The episode delves into the origins of Taxol, originally discovered in the bark of the Pacific Yew tree. You will learn about the significant hurdles researchers faced. From the tedious workup to supply chain restrictions caused by harvesting bark from slow-growing trees. Find out how chemists made Taxol a marketable drug and overcame these problems.

Turning Methane into Value-Chemicals via Photocatalysis

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In this episode we discuss a novel and sustainable approach to converting methane into valuable chemicals. Currently light hydrocarbons like methane are often simply burned for energy, despite their potential as a carbon source for the chemical industry. Traditional conversion methods like natural gas cracking are energy-intensive, and other functionalization routes require harsh conditions and often toxic chemicals. Dr. Andrés Constantino sharess his research focusing on photocatalysis to achieve the direct functionalization of methane under milder conditions.
The key to this method is a supramolecular catalytic system using FeCl3•6H2O and collidine. When irradiated, the catalyst generates a highly active chlorine radical that efficiently abstracts hydrogen from the inert alkane (methane) to form an alkyl radical. The collidine plays a crucial dual role, acting as a base to quench the resulting HCl and as a ligand that stabilizes the iron tetrachloride core. The radicals were used for allylation chemistry, which retains a useful olefin group in the product.

Sustainable Chemistry and Advances in Catalysis

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In this episode we discuss sustainable chemistry and the replacement of critical materials like platinum group elements with guest Dr. Soumyadeep Chakrabortty from the Max-Planck-Institute for Kohlenforschung. We delve into the importance of sustainability in chemical reactions, the role of catalysis, and the development of more benign and cost-effective catalysts. Soumyadeep shares his experiences with asymmetric hydrogenation and the creation of a new ligands for pharmaceutical applications. The conversation also touches on collaboration between academia and industry and the impact of high-throughput screening and AI on future catalysis research.

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