News articles about our research

Heterogeneous Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry

UvA spin-off Plantics enables most sustainable ‘no-waste’ kitchen

15 August 2023.
The Dutch company NoWa Kitchen presented its newest kitchen featuring only bio-based materials and a sustainable cradle-to-cradle design. A key enabler for the kitchen are plant-based polymers and materials brought to market by the University of Amsterdam’s spin-off company Plantics, stemming from a discovery made by chemists at the Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences. The kitchen development was supported by the EU project Sustainable Wood Panels. Read more.

Katalysator in een flexibele schaal

26 July 2023, Jessica Vermeer, C2W.
Onderzoekers van de Universiteit van Amsterdam vonden een manier om hun kobaltkatalysator voor waterstofafgifte te beschermen tegen degradatie: flexibele, poreuze bolletjes gemaakt van garnaalafval. Read more (in Dutch).

Chemists recycle crab waste as a catalyst for hydrogen production

The breakthrough came with a so-called Friday afternoon experiment

24 July 2023, Chemie.de, ChemEurope.com

Since 2020, the Heterogeneous Catalysis & Sustainable Chemistry group at the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences of the UvA has been working on using alkali metal borohydride salts as future hydrogen carriers. These solid salts can be safely stored in air under ambient conditions and only give off hydrogen gas when reacting with water. However, controlling the hydrogen release and thus avoiding breakthrough reactions is a challenge. One solution is to stabilize the solution with a base and control the hydrogen release with the help of a catalyst. The UvA team led by Prof. Gadi Rothenberg is developing such catalysts in cooperation with the Austrian Competence Center for Tribology (AC2T) and the company Electriq Global. Read more.

Electrochemical CO₂ reduction in an organic solvent using nanostructured copper electrodes

21 July 2023.
Researchers at the Heterogeneous Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry group have established how nanostructured materials behave during electrochemical CO₂ reduction in acetonitrile electrolytes. The research, carried out in cooperation with colleagues at the Leiden Institute of Chemistry, provides insight into the mechanism of the CO₂ reduction reaction in organic media. The results have just been published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry C. Read more.

UvA chemists recycle shrimp waste as catalyst for hydrogen generation

20 July 2023.
Flexible spheres of the biomolecule chitosan, made from shrimp waste, can be used for catalysts that generate hydrogen gas from borohydride salts. In a paper in Green Chemistry, a research team at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) shows how the spheres can “breathe out” hydrogen bubbles without breaking. This is an important step towards practical and safe hydrogen storage and release units. Read more.

Meubelmaker Treft Materiaalontwikkelaar

Glansrol voor hennep

11 July 2023, Jessica Numann, Telegraaf.
De hennepplant, bekend van de wietblaadjes, werkt aan een nieuw imago. Of eigenlijk doen bedrijven Vepa en Plantics dit. Per toeval ontdekten zij dat hennep in combinatie met biohars perfect is voor biologisch, plantaardig recyclebaar materiaal dat meer CO₂opneemt dan uitstoot. Na jaren testen is de eerste stoel klaar voor de markt. Read more (in Dutch).

Sustainable chemistry will not solve CO₂ emissions problem

6 February 2023.
In a paper in the journal Sustainable Chemistry for Climate Action, Prof. Gadi Rothenberg of the Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences presents a realistic look at carbon dioxide emissions, climate change and the role of sustainable chemistry. Using simple back-of-the-envelope calculations he shows that the climate goals of the Paris Agreement are beyond reach. According to Rothenberg, humanity should prepare to living in a world where average temperatures are 3–4 °C higher than in pre-industrial times. Read more.

UvA-hoogleraar: ‘We gaan de klimaatdoelen van Parijs niet halen’

1 February 2023, Gadi Rothenberg, Folia.
We gaan de klimaatdoelen van Parijs niet halen, schrijft hoogleraar heterogene katalyse en duurzame chemie Gadi Rothenberg. Voor Folia schreef hij een verkorte versie van zijn artikel A realistic look at CO₂ emissions, climate change and the role of sustainable chemistry dat vorige maand in het vakblad Sustainable Chemistry for Climate Action verscheen. Read more.

Optimizing hydrogen storage in hydroborate salts

21 November 2022.
Researchers Fran Pope, Noë Watson, Antoine Deblais and Gadi Rothenberg at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) unravel the complexities of concentrated borohydride salt solutions that can be used as a medium to store hydrogen. Their results, published in ChemPhysChem and featured on the cover of the current issue, bring the team closer to developing a catalyst for industrial-grade hydrogen storage. Read more.

Improving hydrogen storage with MXene materials

150,000 euro ECCM grant for Amanda Garcia

For research aimed at improving paired electrolysis of carbon dioxide

16 December 2021.
Dr Amanda Garcia has been awarded a grant of almost € 150,000 from the ECCM KICkstart DE-NL call. This aims to accelerate the electrification of the chemical industry through cross-border cooperation between partners from Germany and the Netherlands. Garcia's project is about imaging oxidation reactions on high surface area anodes for paired electrolysis. Read more.

Katalyse wordt kinderspel

26 March 2021, Arjen Dijkgraaf, C2W,
Legosteentjes zijn soms heel geschikt om heterogene katalyse te visualiseren. Vooral wanneer de reacties zich afspelen op een plat vlak, laat de Amsterdamse promovendus Ilse Denekamp zien op YouTube. Read more (Dutch only).

Novel heterogeneous catalysts explained in Lego-animated 'synthesis instruction manual'

One-minute video highlights creativity and functionality aspects of chemical synthesis and materials

17 March 2021.
Ilse Denekamp, a PhD student working under the supervision of Prof. Gadi Rothenberg at the University of Amsterdam's Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, has 'translated' her PhD research in a short film. The one-minute animation highlights the advantages of novel tailor-made single-site catalytic materials for heterogeneous catalysis. Ilse Denekamp will defend her PhD thesis on 7 April. Read more.

#1 - DE SCHEIKUNDIGE, DE ROCKSTER EN DE GITZWARTE KLEEFPRUT

9 March 2021.
Op een dag krijgt hoogleraar in de scheikunde Gadi Rothenberg een bericht van een bijna dakloze zestigjarige scheikundige. Hij vraagt een werkplek in Gadi’s lab. De bijzondere man blijkt niet alleen een aan lagerwal geraakte wetenschapper te zijn, maar ook een rondreizende rocker en: een uitzonderlijk genie. Door de combinatie van hun talenten doen ze per ongeluk een bizarre ontdekking. Een die in theorie niet kàn bestaan. Een bijvangst die op het punt staat onze wereld voorgoed te veranderen. Listen to podcast (Dutch only).

Gadi Rothenberg elected to the board of the Organic Reactions Catalysis Society

14 January 2021.
Gadi Rothenberg, professor of Heterogeneous Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry at HIMS, has been elected as a board member of the Organic Reactions Catalysis Society (ORCS). Read more.

Mislukt experiment UvA leidde wel tot 100% plantaardig plastic

12 january 2021, Tom Grosfeld, Het Parool.
UvA-wetenschappers ontdekten tien jaar geleden 100 procent bioplastic, nu is er een plantaardige stoel. Hoogleraar Gadi Rothenberg (53) vertelt. Read more (Dutch only).

From sticky mess to plant-based chair

6 january 2021.
‘Such a thing doesn't exist,’ UvA researchers Gadi Rothenberg and Albert Alberts repeatedly heard when they accidentally discovered 100% bioplastic in 2010. Now ten years later, in collaboration with furniture manufacturer VepaDrentea, they have created a chair made entirely from plant-based materials. Read more.

Improving hydrogen storage with MXene materials

27 November 2020.
Researchers from the Catalysis Engineering (CatEng) and Heterogeneous Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry (HCSC) groups at the Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS), together with their international collaborators, found a nifty way to improve catalyst performance in on-demand hydrogen generation. Read more.

Arrhenius achter een hekje

6 November 2020, Arjan Dijkgraaf, C2W.
Om optimaal een reactie te katalyseren hoeven nanodeeltjes minder ver uit elkaar te liggen dan gedacht. Dat stelt Gadi Rothenberg, die samen met zijn groep aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam een elegante methode ontwikkelde om het experimenteel aan te tonen. Read more (in Dutch).

HIMS researchers highlight the future of plastics with multi-partner BRECSIT project

28 October 2020.
Biodegradable plastics have an important role to play in the greening of our society and in the transition to a circular economy, say Dr. Layla Filiciotto and Prof. Gadi Rothenberg from the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, but there's still a long way to go. Read more.

Quantum dots for electrocatalytic oxidation

30 September 2020.
In a paper just accepted in ACS Applied Nanomaterials, HIMS researchers report on the nanoscale assembly of copper oxide and palladium nanoclusters as a straightforward, cheap and clean approach for making catalysts. The nanoclusters were used for electro-oxidation purposes, with applications in fuel cells, biosensors, and in the industrial process of electroless copper deposition. The combination of palladium and cheap cuprous oxide outperforms materials based solely on palladium. Read more.

UvA researchers collaborate on new Handbook of Porous Materials

State-of-the-art reference work on synthesis, characterisation, and industrial application

30 September 2020.
A group of authors including researchers and alumni from the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) have just completed a four-volume reference work covering the fundamentals and key applications of porous materials. This "Handbook of Porous Materials" will be published in November by World Scientific Publishers in a digital and a print edition. Editors-in-Chief are Prof. Gadi Rothenberg, chair of the Heterogeneous Catalysis & Sustainable Chemistry group at HIMS, and Prof. Vitaly Gitis of Ben-Gurion University, an UvA alumnus and visiting fellow at the Holland Research School of Molecular Chemistry. Read more.

Designable catalytic materials combine the best of both worlds

UvA students demonstrate unique concept for making highly stable materials with perfect spatial and chemical control

14 September 2020.
The transition towards bio-based feedstocks and circular processes requires new concepts and especially new active, selective and stable catalytic materials. These are often discovered by accident, rather than made by design. Now, UvA researchers from the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences have published a new concept for designing and producing such materials. These new polymers, which can be tailor-made to specific sizes and functions, can catalyse a variety of reactions. They are also highly stable and scalable, opening opportunities for real-life industrial applications. Read more.

Strategies for circular waste management in an urban environment

Amsterdam case study is illustrative of urban waste management in cities around the world

10 September 2020.
There's serious room for improvement in managing the waste of the city of Amsterdam. Many waste flows in the city are linear and unsustainable, and the recycling rate of organic waste is quite low. These observations follow from a case study by a joint team from the University of Amsterdam's Faculty of Science and the Amsterdam Business School, in the perspective of designing urban waste management strategies for a sustainable society. Read more.

Chinese edition of popular catalysis textbook published

23 June, 2020.
The second edition of 'Catalysis: Concepts & Green Applications', the popular undergraduate textbook written by Prof. Gadi Rothenberg of the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, has been translated in Chinese. A low-cost paperback edition available to Chinese students is published by 'Higher Education Press', the publishing house of the Chinese Ministry of Education. Read more.

Samenwerken met een Chinese universiteit; kan dat wel?

7 May, 2020, Laura ter Steege, Folia.
Steeds meer UvA-onderzoekers werken samen met China. De voordelen zijn legio: beslissingen worden sneller genomen, er wordt volop in innovatie geïnvesteerd, en de regels voor onderzoek zijn vaak minder streng dan in Europa. Maar hoe zit het met de academische vrijheid? ‘De Chinese overheid is een enge tegenspeler.’ Read more.

Amanda Garcia joins HIMS with NWO-ECCM tenure-track grant

30 March 2020.
Dr Amanda Garcia has been awarded a highly competitive tenure-track grant of 950,000 euros from the NWO program on electrochemical conversion and materials (ECCM). Focussing on electrocatalysis and electro-organic synthesis, she will join the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences and boost the growing group of interdisciplinary researchers collaborating in the Amsterdam Centre for Electrochemistry (AMCEL). Read more.

UvA students look beyond lithium-ion batteries

19 March 2020.
UvA chemistry master students Peter Jungbacker and Tess van Teijlingen, working at the Research Priority Area Sustainable Chemistry of the Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, have studied the pros and cons of the most promising alternative materials for Li-ion batteries. Their findings, which include both the chemical and socio-economic aspects of batteries, have been published as a cover article in the open-access journal 'Materials'. Read more.

New simple device greatly improves analysis of reaction kinetics

"It's a little like having the world's first telescope or microscope"

4 November 2019.
Researchers at the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) have developed a new device for measuring the kinetics of gas-producing reactions. This simple benchtop device, of which the details are publicly available, costs less than € 250 and weighs only 1500 grams. Yet it gives accurate reaction profiles with over 3000 measurements. It is also programmable for running temperature profiles, providing Arrhenius plots with hundreds of data points from a single experiment. This enables quick and efficient analysis of both kinetics and thermodynamics. Read more.
This news item was also featured at C2W (in Dutch) by Daniël Linzel and on Phys.org by UvA.

Looking at leaves: enhancing the performance of MOF materials

26 June 2019.
Amsterdam chemists present bio-inspired design of adsorbent materials for selective separation of water and alcohol. Read more.

This news item was featured at C2W (in Dutch) by Daniël Linzel, Phys.org by UvA and Materials Today by UvA.

Waste not, want rot

25 February 2019, Aisling Irwin, Chemistry World.
Plastics that break down in the environment could be the answer to our pollution worries, Aisling Irwin finds – but only if they are useful in the first place. Read more.

Best Poster award for Ilse Denekamp at national chemistry conference

17 December 2018.
PhD student Ilse Denekamp of the Heterogeneous Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry research group has won the Best Poster Award by public vote at the Dutch national chemistry conference CHAINS 2018 earlier this month. Read more.

UvA-onderzoek naar luchtvervuiling in Europa: ‘Veel erger dan ik dacht’

27 November 2018, Stella Vrijmoed, Folia.
Dacht je dat luchtvervuiling alleen in megasteden als Beijing of Mexico-stad een probleem is en dat jij veilig zit in Europa? Gadi Rothenberg, professor duurzame chemie aan de UvA, onderzocht samen met masterstudent Cédric Koolen de mate van luchtvervuiling in de Europese Unie. ‘Het is hier veel erger dan ik dacht.’ Read more (Dutch only)

A novel, water-stable metal-organic framework for selective CO2 adsorption

17 april 2018.
Researchers of the University of Amsterdam’s Research Priority Area Sustainable Chemistry have developed a novel porous material capable of selectively adsorbing CO2. In the journal Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers they present their design of a water-stable metal-organic framework (MOF) that according to team leader Dr Stefania Grecea can pave the way to cost-effective separation of CO2 from power plant emissions. Read more.
This news item was also featured at C2W (in Dutch) by Arjan Dijkgraaf.

UvA chemists shed light on intermediate steps in cascade reactions

19 March 2018.
Researchers at the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) have developed a theoretical concept that describes tandem reactions for active particles on active surfaces. The research, which is part of the university's Research Priority Area Sustainable Chemistry, has been published as an open-access concept paper in the international journal ChemCatChem. Read more.
This news item was also featured at C2W (in Dutch) by Arjan Dijkgraaf.

Unilever Research Prize for Ilse Denekamp

11 December 2017.
Ilse Denekamp, PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, has won the Unilever Research Prize for her MSc project on new supercapacitor materials. Read more.

UvA researchers report first MAX phase catalysis

27 November 2017.
International research has shown that a new class of materials, which are neither metallic nor ceramic, can efficiently catalyse the partial oxidation of butane. The results of the project, headed by Dr Shiju Raveendran of the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, have just been published by Angewandte Chemie. It involved researchers from six institutes in four countries. Read more.

Second edition of popular catalysis textbook published

20 November 2017.
Gadi Rothenberg of the University of Amsterdam's Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences has written an updated version of what has become the most popular textbook in catalysis, used by universities worldwide. Covering all aspects of catalysis from a green chemistry perspective, the second edition of 'Catalysis: Concepts and Green Applications' explains the principles of homogeneous, heterogeneous and biocatalysis and illustrates these with real-life industrial examples. Read more.

HIMS professor Gadi Rothenberg appointed at Fudan University

13 November 2017.
Prof. Gadi Rothenberg has been appointed as Senior Visiting Scholar at Fudan University, one of the top universities in China. Rothenberg is the Chair of Heterogeneous Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry research group at the University of Amsterdam's Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) and the current head of the Sustainable Chemistry theme at HIMS. Read more.

UvA catalyst for cleaning cyanide from wastewater goes pilot scale

Developed at research priority area Sustainable Chemistry; industrial application within reach

27 September 2017.
A cyanide decomposition catalyst developed by Dr Paula Oulego, Dr Raveendran Shiju and Prof. Gadi Rothenberg at the Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) of the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is now being tested on an industrial pilot scale. Treating industrial wastewater continuously at a rate of 1000 liters per hour, the pilot is the last step before large-scale industrial application in areas such as gold mining, processing of precious metals, and steel production. Read more.

The (waste) paper trail.

Magazine of the Royal Geographical Society, vol. 89, issue 11 (November 2017)

Download full image.

Converting waste toilet paper into electricity

12 September 2017.
Chemists at the University of Amsterdam's (UvA) Sustainable Chemistry research priority area, together with colleagues from the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development of Utrecht University, have published the first techno-economic analysis of converting waste toilet paper into electricity. In the journal Energy Technology, they propose a two-step process and calculate a cost per kWh comparable to that of residential photovoltaic installations. Read more on Phys.org or on the UvA website in Dutch.
This news item was also featured at C2W (in Dutch) by Arjan Dijkgraaf.

Sino-Dutch grant for research into flexible printed circuit boards

28 August 2017.
Dr Ning Yan and Prof. Gadi Rothenberg of the University of Amsterdam's Sustainable Chemistry research priority area have been awarded a joint grant to research and develop new catalysts and processes for making the next generation of printed-circuit electronic boards in a project with Chinese academic and industrial partners. Read more.

Researchers crack solvent mixtures puzzle

23 August 2017. Phys.org
Chemists working at the University of Amsterdam's (UvA) Sustainable Chemistry research priority area have collaborated with the Solvay Lab of the Future in Bordeaux to develop a practical toolbox for predicting the solubility of small molecules in different solvents. These tools are available open-access and free of charge, and can enhance solvent selection and formulations of many industrial products. Read more.

Sustainable Chemistry students print their way to new and powerful supercapacitors

3D CAD files included in scientific publication

13 June 2017.
Students at the University of Amsterdam's Research Priority Area Sustainable Chemistry have tripled the specific capacitance of nitrogen-doped carbons: new materials with potential applications in fast energy storage (e.g. for regenerative breaking or fast charging of cellphones). Their experiments required new pieces of equipment which were designed and produced in the lab using 3D printing. Read more.
This news item was also featured at AZoM and ScienceDaily.

Research Priority Area Sustainable Chemistry hosts successful conference on bio-based chemistry

6 June 2017.
Last week the Research Priority Area Sustainable Chemistry of the Van't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences (HIMS) welcomed over 200 experts, entrepreneurs and innovators to the conference 'Bio-Based Live Europe', co-hosted with biobasedworldnews.com. Read more.

Cyanide removal catalyst shortlisted for Emerging Technologies Competition

9 May 2017.
An innovative cyanide removal catalyst invented by Dr Paula Oulego Blanco, Dr Raveendran Shiju and Prof. Gadi Rothenberg from the University of Amsterdam’s Sustainable Chemistry Research Priority Area has been shortlisted for the Emerging Technologies Competition of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). Read more.

Enzymatic sulfation helps solve lignin’s solubility problem

8 May, 2017.
C&EN (vol. 95, number 19, p. 9). See pdf.

Smart materials design leads to new dual-mode humidity sensing

17 April 2017.
Dr Stefania Tanase Grecea and co-researchers at the University of Amsterdam’s Research Priority Area Sustainable Chemistry have demonstrated the first dual-mode humidity sensing material. Based on a lanthanide-based metal organic framework it can sense water both optically and electrically. The research was recently published in the journal Chemical Communications. Read more.

UvA researchers invent novel catalyst to convert carbon dioxide

New catalyst provides a possible means to sustainably utilise CO₂.

6 April 2017.
Researchers from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) have invented a new catalyst that can efficiently convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) to carbon monoxide (CO). This soon-to-be patented invention enables the sustainable utilisation of CO₂, a potent greenhouse gas linked to climate change. If successful on a larger scale, this invention could provide a practical way to convert CO₂ to useful chemicals. Read more.

Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Alcohols with Metal Oxides on N-Doped Carbon

Synfacts 2016; 12(11): 1212, DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1589341, download the PDF

Research priority area Sustainable Chemistry boosts postdocs’ careers

Dr Zhiyong Guo, Dr Jay Pandey and Dr David Eisenberg have all secured high-profile research positions following their postdoc projects at the University of Amsterdam's Research Priority Area Sustainable Chemistry. 6 October 2016

Studenten verduurzamen oxidatie alcoholen

Arjen Dijkgraaf, C2W, 30 June 2016 (in Dutch)

UvA chemists invent new supercapacitor materials

Dr David Eisenberg and Prof. Gadi Rothenberg of the University of Amsterdam's Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences have invented a new type of supercapacitor material with a host of potential applications in electronics, transportation and energy storage devices. The UvA has filed a patent application on this invention. 9 June 2016.

Topsector Chemie funds two projects of HIMS researchers

Researchers of the Van 't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences at the University of Amsterdam have been awarded funding by 'TKI Chemie', which is part of the national chemistry platform 'Topsector Chemie'. Their projects are aimed at the development of new innovative techniques and processes in the fields of Analytical Chemistry and Heterogeneous Catalysis. 12 April 2016

China grants UvA patent for innovative bioplastic

The Chinese Patent Office has granted patent rights to the University of Amsterdam (UvA) for the invention of the biodegradable polymer developed in 2011 by UvA researchers Dr Albert Alberts and Prof. Gadi Rothenberg. 24 March 2016

New Catalytic Process Treats Cyanide In Industrial Waste

17 December 2015, Sara Jerome, Water Online.
Chemists at the University of Amsterdam have discovered a new process for removing cyanide from industrial wastewater. Read more.

A new catalyst removes cyanide from waste water

The heterogeneous catalyst — discovered jointly by Paula Oulego Blanco, Raveendra Shiju and professor Gadi Rothenberg from UvA’s Sustainable Chemistry research-priority area — has been shown to reduce CN- concentrations by 90% within minutes from wastewater simulating that produced at steel mills. Gerald Ondrey, ChemEng, December 1st 2015.

Koolstof met stikstof splitst zuurstof.

Gepyrolyseerd magnesiumtrinitrilo-acetaat is een prima vervanger voor platina in kathodes voor brandstofcellen. En het is eenvoudig genoeg te maken om aan grootschalige productie te denken, melden UvA-onderzoekers in 'Chemistry: A European Journal'.

Arjen Dijkgraaf, C2W, 30 November 2015.