Calls

Request-for-Partners

MeCheM

MechanoCheMistry as a disruptive technology to drive sustainability

Context

Mechanochemistry has been gaining prominence as a powerful tool for molecular transformations, offering numerous advantages such as improved solvent and energy efficiency, as well as better control over reaction conditions in chemical processes. Despite its clear potential, several hurdles must be addressed before mechanochemistry can be widely adopted at an industrial scale. The exact chemical mechanisms involved often remain a “black box”, and scaling up from a laboratory mill into industrial relevant equipment remains highly unpredictable. Therefore, insights, which are located on the interface between chemistry and reactor design, are needed to overcome these hurdles.

Goals

The MeCheM project aims to advance the understanding of mechanochemical processes and facilitate the transition from batch-based methods, such as ball milling, to scalable continuous processes by exploring multi-purpose reactors (e.g., a modified DynoMill, Planetary Roller Extruder, single-screw extruders, and resonant acoustic mixers). This will be achieved through setting up a collaborative industrial research platform among partners from various sectors, enabling the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and equipment.

To enable a fair comparison of different mechanochemical techniques, the MeCheM project will study key process parameters and their impact on reaction performance. This includes analyzing how factors such as shearing, stretching, grinding, heat exchange, heat control, and milling time affect reaction conversions, kinetics, and selectivity. Additionally, the project will examine the influence of reactor type and materials and other critical mechanochemical variables.

As a result of the MeCheM project, an overview of ‘optimal industrial practices’ for different types/groups of chemical transformations will be developed.

Call-for-Interest to join user committee

Epoxy Hollow Fibers

Epoxy hollow fiber membranes for separation processes under extreme conditions

Context

Membrane technology is getting increased attention in many industries as it enables closed loop practices at a lower energy cost than traditional separation techniques. Membranes, being semi-permeable materials, can be used to purify liquid streams, for example to treat waste waters, or the separate gases, for example to remove CO₂ from flue gas. The wider adoption of membrane technology is hindered by challenges such as the limited chemical stability, causing the membranes to degrade when purifying acidic, caustic or solvent-containing streams. Moreover, it remains a challenge to concurrently obtain a high selectivity and a high productivity. However, it has a high potential for many industries, including the (petro)chemical, pharmaceutical and water treatment industries as it can be run on electricity, is modular, facilitates a circular economy, and creates no waste streams.

Recently, epoxy chemistry was introduced at KU Leuven as a novel chemistry platform to make water purification and gas separation membranes. These epoxy membranes are resistant to most conditions thanks to the intrinsic robustness of epoxy chemistry and can hence be used to purify aqueous streams at pH 0-14, solvent-containing streams, and gaseous streams containing corrosive substances. In addition, these membranes are temperature-resistant and can be cleaned with bleach (chlorine). Epoxy membranes thus offer a solution to the degradation of current commercial membranes upon exposure to harsh conditions.

So far, epoxy membranes have only been synthesized as flat sheets to obtain spiral-wound membrane modules (SWMM). However, they also have potential to be transformed from flat sheets into hollow fibers (HF), to achieve hollow fiber membrane modules. These modules have a higher packing density, are less prone to fouling, and are more scalable than SWMM. The Roth group (TU Twente and UDE) has expertise in converting novel chemistries into HF membranes.

Goals

The goal of this project is to develop epoxy-based hollow fiber (HF) membranes for harsh separations. This will be achieved by combining the knowledge on epoxy chemistry at KU Leuven (BE) and HF synthesis at Uni DUE (DE).

The key objectives of this project are:

• Production of hollow-fiber (HF) membranes: Epoxy chemistry will be transferred from flat sheet membranes to hollow fiber membranes to achieve a higher packing density, decrease fouling propensity, and enable easy module assembly. Well-characterized epoxy HF membranes will be produced, which will help to better understand the structure-function relationship. For example, the impact of epoxy monomers and solvent on the final membrane structure and performance will be investigated.
• Production of hollow-fiber membrane modules. The project aims to deliver HF membrane modules that can be tested our partner’s sites to obtain industrially relevant performance data.
• Tailor-made membranes to meet industry needs: HF membrane synthesis parameters will be systematically optimized to obtain the required performance for a specific application. This tailored approach is possible thanks to the high flexibility of epoxy chemistry.

To support this project, the consortium will apply for “CORNET” funding. CORNET (COllective Research NETworking) is a network of ministries and funding agencies that combine their existing funding schemes to increase the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The goal of CORNET funding is to realize further international research projects for the benefits of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in various countries and regions, with the support of research organizations. KU Leuven and UDE will be the leading research centers of this proposal.

VITAL-project: request for industrial partners

Topic

Vegan chitosan tailoring for diverse applications.

Request

To complete the consortium, the project partners are seeking additional industrial partners to test tailored chitosan in specific end applications and evaluate its desired properties, such as antibacterial, antifungal, flame retardancy, and its hydrophobic or hydrophilic characteristics. Partners from various sectors, including food, feed, textile finishing, medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, packaging, water treatment, soil remediation, etc. will be considered.