German firm Sud-Chemie to invest €20m in catalysis research

29 November 2010 10:54  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS)--Sud-Chemie will invest €20m ($26.7m) into catalysis research at the Munich Technical University (TUM) over the next 10 years, to find ways to manufacture chemical products using low-energy processes, the German specialty chemicals company said on Monday.

Scientists at the university would work with researchers from Sud-Chemie on issues involving both basic and applied research in the field of chemical catalysis, it added.

Sud-Chemie said it would sponsor research work at the university with up to €2m a year. This would initially last for 10 years but would be extended if the work proved successful.

"Chemical catalysis is a key technology and will be making a major contribution to the development of economically and ecologically sustainable ways of manufacturing fuel and chemicals in times when resources are in increasingly short supply,” said Gunter von Au, managing board chairman of Sud-Chemie.

The research, under the name "Munich Catalysis. Alliance of Sud-Chemie and TUM", would start before the end of the year.

In addition to developing innovative catalysts and preparation methods, research would focus on identifying new ways of manufacturing basic chemicals, Sud-Chemie said.

Attention would also centre on new ways of creating high-grade intermediate products for plastics without using oil, it added.

"The overriding goal envisaged by Munich Catalysis is to develop key catalytic technologies on a sustainable basis which – in view of the limited fossil resources and a continuing rise in the global consumption of energy and base chemicals – make the greatest demands on research alliances between university and industry," said TUM president Wolfgang Herrmann.

($1 = €0.75)

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