A novel measurement cell allows, for the first time, soft and hard X-ray investigations under high pressures of up to 20 bar and temperatures of up to 400°C. This provides new insights into thermocatalytic processes, such as the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for producing synthetic fuels. The developmen...

Researchers and authorities from across Europe are collaborating on the major EU project PARC to further develop the risk assessment of chemicals. Researchers at Empa in St. Gallen are participating in the sub-task Safe and Sustainable by Design and are developing methods that can be used to assess ...

Lithium–sulfur batteries could store substantially more energy than conventional lithium-ion batteries while relying on sulfur, an abundant and relatively inexpensive material. Yet major chemical obstacles continue to limit their efficiency, durability and practical use. A new review published in En...

The same class of chemical additive that makes plastic wrap pliable and vinyl flooring soft could be the key to unlocking the next generation of wearable displays. Researchers at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) have discovered that blending a common ...

Controlling how oxygen reacts is important for improving technologies such as batteries, fuel cells, and environmentally sustainable chemical processes. A KAIST research team has developed a new molecular system that can selectively switch the pathway through which electrons are transferred during o...

The ALTANA Group has achieved its best result to date in the latest sustainability rating from the international assessment platform EcoVadis, scoring 85 out of 100 points. Compared to last year’s already very strong result, the specialty chemicals group was able to improve by another point. Based o...

Dr. Patrick Lott, a private lecturer at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), is receiving the DECHEMA Prize. The award, which comes with a prize of 20,000 euros, recognizes his innovative and groundbreaking work on the dynamic operation of heterogeneously catalyzed reactions—particularly und...

She is one of the most influential scientists in her subject and is working on solutions to a key question for the future: Professor Birgit Esser, a chemist, conducts research into sustainable battery materials and is the Ulm spokesperson for the POLiS cluster of excellence. The city of Ulm has reco...

The 2026 Klaus Grohe Prize will be awarded to Professor Dr. Edward Tate, Imperial College London, United Kingdom, and Professor Dr. Nicolas Winssinger, University of Geneva, Switzerland. For the first time, two awardee will share the award, and for the first time, it will be endowed with €75,000 – m...

The German startup ecosystem is off to a strong start in 2026: Between January and June, 3,053 new startups were founded. This represents a 52 percent increase compared to the second half of 2025 and means more startups were founded than in all of 2024. This is shown by the latest data from the repo...

With its first battery storage project sold in the neighboring country, the Munich-based cleantech company is entering the Austrian market and setting a milestone in its European growth strategy. STABL is implementing a total of seven battery storage systems with a combined energy capacity of 13.7 M...

NextGO Epi, a Berlin-based deep tech startup spun off from Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ), producing Gallium Oxide epitaxial wafers for next- generation power electronics, has secured a €2 million pre-seed funding round. The company has developed a process producing a breakthrough semic...

The organic chemical basic materials industry is still largely based on fossil carbon today—primarily natural gas and naphtha. The study “Transformation of Chemical Process Engineering – Efficient Production Pathways with a Changed Raw Material Base,” conducted by DECHEMA Society for Chemical Engine...

The European Commission has presented its plans for reforming the European Emissions Trading System (ETS) and its benchmarks for the coming years. The German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) views these as nothing more than insufficient cosmetic changes. Wolfgang Große Entrup, CEO of the VCI, cri...

Hydrogen is widely regarded as a cornerstone of a climate-neutral energy and chemical industry. To realize its full potential, however, it must be stored and transported safely, efficiently, and with minimal energy input. In a new review article, researchers from RWTH and the Helmholtz Institute Erl...

Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) have developed two new processes: Using hydrodynamic cavitation and cold atmospheric plasma combined with gas dispersion, they are looking to break down per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), industrial chemicals that are extremely ...

Small-scale plants could produce ammonia directly where it is needed. A global analysis involving the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI shows at which locations and under what conditions such mini-plants could operate in a low-carbon and economical manner. Ammonia is indispensable for fertiliser and could...

Fuel prices, security of supply, and dependence on raw materials are presenting energy providers with new challenges. Researchers at Fraunhofer IEG are investigating how heat and strategic raw materials can be extracted from the subsurface simultaneously. The idea: Hot deep groundwater provides heat...

BASF has inaugurated a new plant in Düsseldorf, Germany, to produce specialty emollients, particularly for skin care and sun protection products. With this investment in the mid double-digit million-euro range, BASF is strategically expanding its capacity for these specialty products to meet growing...

An international research collaboration has developed a new molecular strategy for controlling one of the most critical interfaces in perovskite solar cells. The resulting solar cells reached a power conversion efficiency of 26.19% in the n i p architecture, together with strong operational stabilit...