news 2022

Flavio Portwich (left) and Jun. Robert Kretschmer with a flurosescent polymer fleece. Serendipitous scientific progress "This discovery was literally a case of serendipity," explains Robert Kretschmer, Junior Professor for Inorganic Chemistry of Catalysis at Friedrich Schiller University Jena. "We actually wanted to use the substance for catalysis.

Researchers from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy have discovered a new clue in the search for the origin of life by showing that peptides can form on dust under conditions such as those prevailing in outer space. These molecules, which are one of the basic building blocks of all life, may therefore not have originated on our planet at all, but possibly in cosmic molecular clouds.

Heidelberg plant researchers discover cellular mechanism that extends the life of proteins Plants are tied to one location and need to adjust to their environment, including adverse conditions. Adaptive responses include synthesising new proteins and breaking down those that are no longer needed. For this task, plants use a considerable amount of energy.

Several layers of nanographenes stacked on top of each other: such functional elements could one day be used in solar cells. Würzburg chemists have paved the way for this. Graphene is a carbon material that forms extremely thin layers. Because of its unusual properties, it is interesting for many technical applications.

A Freiburg research team has developed the first material made of natural proteins that contracts autonomously Dr. Stefan Schiller and Dr. Matthias Huber from the University of Freiburg's liv MatS Cluster of Excellence have succeeded in developing a muscle solely on the basis of natural proteins.

MEET Battery Research Center of the University of Münster starts a new research project in 2022: In the joint project -AReLiS-2-, lithium-sulfur batteries (LSB) and thus a potential successor to today's lithium ion batteries are being investigated. The focus of the research is on sulfur-containing cathodes as well as polymer, solid-state and hybrid electrolytes.

When developing environmentally friendly chemicals or innovative material, you must be able to make exceptionally high-resolution images of processes in molecules and nanoparticles. Tais Gorkhover from Universität Hamburg is researching new image-producing procedures as part of her HIGH-Q project and is now receiving funding from the European Research Council.

New findings make it possible to explore in detail the links between defects in mitochondrial proteins and diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems Mitochondria are key components of our cells. Cell respiration and control of many metabolic and signalling processes take place within them. In order for the biochemical reactions to take place flawlessly, complex interactions between specialized protein molecules are required.

Enormous ecological and economic potential consists in the circular value chain of batteries: The use of recycled materials not only reduces the costs of raw materials, but also enables energy savings in battery production.