Upgrading complex renewable feedstock in an electrified biorefinery under operating conditions

Focus:	Resource efficiency Talents
Type of funding:	Individual funding programmes
Programme:	CZS Nexus \| Changed application process
Funded institution:	University of Stuttgart

Dr. Nils Kurig conducts research at the University of Stuttgart on innovative processes for producing useful substances from biomass. He studied chemistry and earned his doctorate at RWTH Aachen University. After two years at Scripps Research in California, he led a Liebig group at FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg.

Goals

The chemical industry must shift away from fossil-based raw materials toward climate-friendly production processes. As part of this transformation, Dr. Kurig’s group is developing processes to sustainably convert renewable raw materials into valuable chemicals and energy sources using electricity. The goal is to take a significant step toward an electrified biorefinery that efficiently utilizes renewable carbon sources and sustainably generated energy.

The project combines research in chemistry, materials science, and chemical and bioengineering with industrial applications. It involves developing electrochemical reaction pathways and materials to convert biogenic feedstocks directly from complex mixtures of substances. The processes are then tested under realistic conditions in long-term operation. In addition, research data is systematically collected and evaluated to accelerate the development of new processes. The results are intended to lay the foundation for sustainable electrochemical production processes and advance the use of renewable raw materials and energy in the chemical industry.