Brandi, F.; Antonietti, M.; Al-Naji, M.: Controlled lignosulfonate depolymerization via solvothermal fragmentation coupled with catalytic hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation in continuous flow reactor. Green Chemistry 23 (24), pp. 9894 - 9905 (2021)
Smith, C. A.; Brandi, F.; Al-Naji, M.; Guterman, R.: Resin-supported iridium complex for low-temperature vanillin hydrogenation using formic acid in water. RSC Advances 11 (26), pp. 15835 - 15840 (2021)
Brandi, F.; Bäumel, M.; Shekova, I.; Molinari, V.; Al-Naji, M.: 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural hydrodeoxygenation to 2,5-dimethylfuran in continuous-flow system over Ni on nitrogen-doped carbon. Sustainable Chemistry 1 (2), pp. 106 - 115 (2020)
Mendoza Mesa, J. A.; Brandi, F.; Shekova, I.; Antonietti, M.; Al-Naji, M.: p-Xylene from 2,5-dimethylfuran and acrylic acid using zeolite in continuous flow system. Green Chemistry 22 (21), pp. 7389 - 7405 (2020)
Brandi, F.: Synthesis of an advanced catalytic system for the sustainable valorization of lignocellulosic biomass under continuous flow conditions. Master, 54 pp., Università degli studie Firenze, Firenze (2018)
We left the lab coat hanging for a day—but brought our lab equipment with us to meet more than 8,200 visitors. At our 10 stations, we showcased how we learn from nature to develop sustainable solutions—from dye- and pigment-free colors to bio-inspired materials for construction, medicine, and design.
Prof. Peter Fratzl, Director of our Biomaterials Department, will contribute his expertise in the science and engineering of biological materials to help inform decision-making and science policy in Germany.
With a prestigious Max Planck Fellowship (2025–2028), microbiologist Gabriele Berg from the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) is launching a research collaboration with Markus Antonietti. Together, they’re developing a solution to soil exhaustion and infertility: a custom-made soil created in the lab from plant residues, enriched with carefully selected microorganisms.
Challenge: It's not just whether a membrane is in a "solid" or "liquid" state that matters—how tightly its molecules are packed also influences how protein-rich droplets (condensates) stick to it Finding: More tightly packed membranes push away condensates, while loosely packed ones attract them Impact: Understanding these interactions is key to grasping essential cellular functions and disease progression
Scientists have long sought to understand the exact mechanism behind water splitting by carbon nitride catalysts. For the first time, Dr. Paolo Giusto and his team captured the step-by-step interactions at the interface between carbon nitride and water, detailing the transfer of protons and electrons from water to the catalyst under light. This…
The German Colloid Society’s Young Investigator Award acknowledges Zeininger's work in predicting and controlling the behavior of soft materials outside of thermodynamic equilibrium, as well as his establishment of guidelines for next-generation smart materials capable of responding to external stimuli in real time.
The secret ingredient for a groundbreaking sodium-sulfur battery with improved energy performance and longer lifespan grows in our gardens: lavender. By combining lavender oil with sulfur, Dr. Paolo Giusto's team has created a unique material that solves a persistent failure problem – polysulfide shuttling. This research marks an important step toward developing more powerful and sustainable batteries for the next-generation large-scale energy storage systems.
The prestigious 25,000-euro prize recognizes Prof. Markus Antonietti's groundbreaking research in carbon catalysis. He is developing materials with tailored properties for more sustainable chemical synthesis: carbon materials are abundant in nature, consume less energy than metal catalysts, and can be reused. The same Académie once hosted Antoine Lavoisier, the 'father of modern chemistry,' who also marveled at carbon’s versatility.
Our director, Markus Antonietti, received the prestigious Solvay Chair in Chemistry. The common thread of his lectures was the "black magic" of carbon materials, which can replace transition metals as catalysts for some of the most relevant reactions, thus revolutionizing chemistry and making it greener.
Mateusz Odziomek’s research group looked to the past to create innovative carbon materials for the future. Inspired by flame-retardant fabrics from the 1950s, the team added a record-high content of phosphorus to carbons. This new material could serve as an efficient catalyst in fields ranging from pharmaceuticals to plastics production.
The German Research Foundation is supporting the research on novel artificially intelligent emulsion systems in Dr. Lukas Zeininger's Emmy Noether Junior Research Group for another three years with additional funding of about one million euros.