Heidelberg chemist receives Karl-Freudenberg Prize for sustainable research!

Heidelberg chemist receives Karl-Freudenberg Prize for sustainable research!

Konstanz, Deutschland - On May 25, 2025, the Karl Freudenberg Prize was awarded to the chemist Maximilian Baur. The Heidelberg Academy of Sciences (HADW) thus rewarded its outstanding dissertation for the production of sustainable polyethylene at the University of Konstanz. Baur was specially awarded for his innovative research, which aims to improve the recyclability of the widespread plastic variety of polyethylene (PE). Only about 14 percent of the polyethylene produced worldwide are currently recycled, although this plastic is about a third of all plastic production, such as Rnd Fixed.

In his dissertation, Baur examined how target breakage points can be built into polymer chains without impairing the material properties. This should be created by UV radiation activity, which improves the degradation of the material. Baur explained that he integrated ket groups into the polymer structure that is decomposed under UV light. To make this possible, he used high molecular, keto-modified polyethylene (keto-PE), which maintain the properties of conventional PE and are also degradable under UV rays. These findings could lead to the development of new plastic materials with controlled properties in the future.

The importance of the Karl-Freudenberg Prize

The price, endowed with 10,000 euros, has been awarded by the Freudenberg Group since 1986 to honor outstanding scientific work in the natural sciences, especially in chemistry and biology. Maximilian Baur, who completed his doctorate in June 2024, continued his research forms at the University of California Santa Barbara as a postdoc. There he deals with heterogeneous catalysis for plastic upcycling, which further increases the relevance of his work.

progress in polyethylene recycling

Research on the recycling of polyethylene has made significant progress in recent years. A team led by John Hartwig from the University of California in Berkeley developed a new process that converted polyethylene into propylene. This procedure could be used to manufacture polypropylene (PP), a more versatile and better recyclable plastic. The new process that uses platinum-zinn and platinum-zinc catalysts is promising because it facilitates chemical decomposition of polyethylene and increases the yield of recycled material. According to the study, over 80 percent of the polyethylene can be converted into propylene, which significantly improves the sustainability of plastic processing.

However, the challenges associated with the recyclability of PE and PP remain. Conventional methods often lead to inferior polymer blends, and most chemical recycling processes are still far from industrial application. However, further research is required to successfully use these innovative methods on a large scale. A new method published in the specialist magazine "Science" shows that the conversion of PE and PP, also in mixes, is possible and can therefore contribute to reducing plastic waste.

The combination of increased recyclability and the development of new materials, such as those presented in Bauer's research work, could make a decisive contribution to solving environmental problems in connection with plastics. With these innovative approaches, we stand on the threshold of more sustainable use of polyethylene and polypropylene.