In the current phase of the Rhineland-Palatinate research initiative, process development for the efficient use of sustainable resources is at the center of NanoKat's scientific focus. The research objectives focus on the following areas of work:

a) process technology for raw material change (reactor concepts, separation processes, on-line analytics)

b) Catalysts for raw material conversion (in particular non-toxic metal compounds, biocatalysts)

c) Material flows in raw material conversion (in particular the material use of lignocellulosic biomass)

NanoKat integrates biocatalysis, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis into new process engineering concepts in a sustainable way. The PIs' expertise therefore ideally complements each other.

Another important aspect of NanoKAT is the promotion of young scientists. With sixteen young scientists in the team so far, NanoKat documents the high value placed on promoting young talent. In recent years, eight of the young scientists have been appointed to independent professorships, e.g. in Aachen, Munich, and Kaiserslautern, or have taken up management positions in industry. Currently, two young scientists are conducting research at NanoKAT: Dr.-Ing. Seyedeh-Saba Ashrafmansouri and Dr.-Ing. Judith Stiefelmaier.

NanoKat is the only area of potential at the RPTU that integrates natural sciences and engineering, works on an interdisciplinary topic and has created its own degree program for young scientists with Bio- and Chemical Engineering (BCI).

New LASE research building

The new LASE research building will soon go into operation. Members of Nanokat from the fields of chemistry and process engineering will jointly operate the Laboratory for NMR Science and Engineering in LASE. This is a unique project in Germany, which is supported by Nanokat. 
 

Instrumentation center nuclear magnetic resonance

At RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, the German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding a new instrumentation center dedicated to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) within the Laboratory for Advanced Spin Engineering (LASE). NMR enables non-destructive observation of molecular processes and, combined with hyperpolarization techniques, allows researchers to detect even low-concentration molecules in real time. The center provides state-of-the-art infrastructure with high-field and benchtop spectrometers, offering unique opportunities to monitor chemical reactions, catalysts, and complex processes. It fosters close collaboration between chemistry and engineering, creating a distinctive national and international profile. The facilities are also available to external partners from research and industry, supporting cooperative projects. In addition, teams from environmental sciences in Landau will benefit from the equipment, while students gain hands-on experience through internships and laboratory training. The center is led by Dr. Kerstin Münnemann in cooperation with Professors Hans Hasse, Erik von Harbou, Werner Thiel, and Wolfgang Kleist.

BioProcessAnalytics Lab (BPA-Lab)

The BioProcessAnalytics Lab (BPA-Lab) at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau combines state-of-the-art process engineering, bioprocess engineering, process analytics, and machine learning methods to translate biotechnological basic research into industrial scale applications. Key equipment includes stainless-steel bioreactors up to 50 L, mini and liter-scale reactors, inline and online analytics (including NMR and optical imaging probes), downstream processing systems such as preparative HPLC and freeze-drying, as well as an aerosol generator. The interdisciplinary collaboration of biochemical engineering, thermodynamics, fluid and mechanical process engineering, and data analytics enables the investigation of complex processes from cultivation through analysis to product purification, and supports the development of scalable, sustainable processes.