Green Chemistry Blog

Green Chemistry Best PhD Talk Prize

Sibylle Schwartman (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)
PhD Talk title: Electro-oxidation of β-O-4 model compounds monitored in a chamber-separated cell via in-situ ATR-IR spectroscopy

Sibylle Schwartmann is a fourth-year PhD candidate working under the guidance of Prof. Bert Weckhuysen and Dr. Bettina Baumgartner. She joined the Institute for Sustainable and Circular Chemistry of Utrecht University in 2021, following her master’s in physics at the RWTH Aachen (Germany). Her research focuses on the electro-oxidative valorization of lignin, to access new resources for aromatic base chemicals that act simultaneously as storage for renewable energies. Using in-situ infrared spectroscopy and novel cell designs, she explores lignin depolymerization pathways through the use of model compounds.

Reaction Chemistry & Engineering Best PhD Talk Prize

Adam Olszewski (Gdańsk University of Technology, Poland)
PhD Talk title: 3-F Polyurethane-Wood Composites (PU-WCs): Catalyst-free, formaldehyde-free, and petroleum-free alternatives to traditional wood-based panels

Adam Olszewski is a PhD in Materials Science and he currently works as a researcher at the Faculty of Chemistry at Gdańsk University of Technology. His work focuses on the synthesis and application of bio-based polyols derived from biomass liquefaction, which are utilised in sustainable polyurethane systems. Recently, he has developed a catalyst-, formaldehyde-, and petroleum-free polyurethane–wood composites (PU-WC) using renewable feedstocks, targeting reduced environmental impact for polymeric materials. Developed materials can be applied as a healthier substitute for commonly used wood-based panels manufactured using formaldehyde-based petrochemical resins. His work combines circular economy and green chemistry concepts for the development of high-performance sustainable materials. Beyond science, he is a social activist for the academic community. In the future, he would like to engage in the popularization of science and the promotion of environmentally friendly solutions in the plastic industry.

RSC Sustainability Best PhD Talk Prize

Wolfgang Laudensack (RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany)
PhD Talk title: Identification of scale-up parameters for the production of platform chemicals from grass press juice

Wolfgang Laudensack is a first-year PhD student at the Chair of Bioprocess Engineering at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, working under the supervision of Prof. Roland Ulber. He obtained his BSc and MSc in bio- and chemical engineering at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau. His research focuses on the utilization of press juice from green waste. The current aim of this work is to scale up the production and fermentation of grass juice to platform chemicals like butyric or itaconic acid.