Chair of Chemical Materials Science

Renewable raw materials that can be used as alternatives to fossil resources already exist. However, to turn them into everyday products, plant oils and other renewable raw materials not only have to be extracted, but often have to undergo complex chemical processing. Researchers at the University of Konstanz have now converted microalgae cells into tiny refineries to produce and upgrade raw materials, and thus create a supply of sustainable chemicals.

A truly compostable plastic is something scientists all over the world have been striving towards for years. There have been many variations on the theme but none that seemed to totally solve our plastic pollution problem. Now a team from the University of Konstanz in Germany reckon they've come pretty close.

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A polyester plastic of great mechanical stability, which is also easily recyclable and even compostable: Stefan Mecking, chemist at the University of Konstanz, and his research group present a new material.