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Innovate and React: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Kevin Hares
Talking to scientist about their innovations in chemistry
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- 2 days ago37 min
Replacing chemical plants with methanol-eating bacteria
In this episode of Innovate and React, I welcome Dr. Ronja Rappold, co-founder of TENO Bioworks, to explore how microorganisms and synthetic biology can transform alternative carbon sources into high-value chemicals. While biological manufacturing is well known for producing life-saving pharmaceuticals like insulin or traditional fermented goods, shifting base and fine chemical production away from fossil fuels presents a unique challenge. Relying solely on agricultural sugars introduces significant "food vs. fuel" conflicts and risks breaching critical planetary boundaries, including land use, freshwater consumption, and nutrient cycles. Ronja and her team address this by targeting C1 feedstocks—specifically green methanol derived from captured CO₂. How do you teach an industrial workhorse to live on a completely foreign feedstock? Ronja explains TENO Bioworks' approach to performing a metabolic "heart transplant" on Escherichia coli (E. coli). They successfully rewired E. coli to utilize methanol as its primary carbon and energy source. We also dive into the downstream engineering required to produce target chemicals like lactic acid, the advantages of using raw, unpurified methanol over traditional metal catalysts.
- 3 weeks ago40 min
Defying Markovnikov: A New Spin on the Wacker Oxidation
In this episode of Innovate and React, I welcome back Thomas Bouveyron from and TH Köln to explore how we can make conventional petrochemical pathways more sustainable. We look into the synthesis of n-decanal, which is a crucial molecule in the fragrance industry and a key scent in Chanel No. 5. Thomas' gaol is to shift from crude oil- to bio-based building blocks. How do you bend the rules of classical Wacker oxidation to favor the usually unfavored anti-Markovnikov product? Thomas shares his methodology, combining statistical Design of Experiments (DOE) and computational Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to unravel more of the catalytic mechanism. We also discuss the practical engineering hurdles of catalyst fatigue, solvent participation, and the tricky business of separating decanal from decanone.
- Jun 15, 202655 min
The Perfect Compromise: Unlocking the Future of Green Hydrogen with AEM
In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Miriam Hesse and Bastian Kaufmann, researchers at the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Center (ZBT) to discuss the rising potential of Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) water electrolysis. We explore how AEM serves as the perfect compromise between traditional alkaline systems and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis, offering high efficiency without the reliance on expensive precious metals like platinum and iridium. Miriam and Bastian share their journey into hydrogen research and how ZBT acts as a crucial bridge between fundamental chemistry and applied industrial engineering across the entire hydrogen value chain. The conversation dives deep into the specific challenges and innovations within AEM technology, from navigating the historical bottlenecks of polymer membrane stability to the intricate process of fabricating homogeneous catalyst layers directly onto porous transport layers (PTLs). We discuss the promising use of nickel-based catalysts to optimize the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions. Furthermore, we examine the complexities of scaling this technology for industry, emphasizing the need for long-term degradation data, accelerated stress tests, and advanced analytical methods like electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the distribution of relaxation times (DRT) to pinpoint exactly where performance losses occur in real-world systems.
- May 22, 202627 min
Stopping PFAS at the Source: Innovating Industrial Wastewater Treatment
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.
- Apr 28, 20261h 9m
Beyond Fertilizer: The Future of Low-Emission Ammonia
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.
- Apr 14, 202643 min
Scaling Sustainable Chemistry: How Startups Can Transform the Industry
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.
- Mar 31, 20260
How innovative coatings are stopping microplastic pollution of the Ocean
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.
- Mar 17, 202653 min
Why Reversing the Haber-Bosch Process Requires a New Catalyst
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.
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