Insights into the lab of our smart scientists

They can improve the air we breathe, protect our homes or make facades last: Sustainable emulsion polymers find applications in the construction industry, in adhesives, inks and printing, packaging materials, paper coatings, and a myriad of other segments. We meet the scientist who is deeply committed to conducting comprehensive research on these diverse applications, delving into the medium- and long-term challenges encountered in product development.

Water is his element. Arnd Garsuch is a passionate rower, swimmer - and electrochemist. At first glance, water and electricity don't get along very well. When water conducts electricity, it can be life-threatening in everyday life. But researchers like Arnd can use the power of electric current to trigger chemical reactions in a targeted way and use it to develop surprising solutions for electromobility and climate protection. Arnd is investigating electrolysis processes that can be used, among other things, to recycle batteries or filter CO2 emissions from our oceans.

Every year, millions of tons of plastic end up in our soils and waters, where they can take hundreds of years to break down. Biopolymers offer a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics. Liqun Ren is determined to find a solution to the plastic pollution challenge and she is confident that biopolymers can be a good option.

Normally, it is the greatest joy of every chemist to produce an unprecedented molecule. With Bernhard von Vacano it is exactly the opposite. He does everything he can to recover the original molecules from plastic waste and reassemble them into new products. In doing so, the expert in plastics recycling contributes to a visionary world without waste, in which garbage is optimally used as raw material and energy. 

What holds the world together at its core? Even as a child, Stefan Lamotte was fascinated by finding out what was behind things. His curiosity led him to pursue a doctorate in chromatography, a chemical analysis method used to separate and precisely determine the individual components of mixtures of substances. This is how he finds answers to why something works the way it does – and today, as an expert in analysis, he and his team ensure the quality of various BASF products. 

Originally from Indonesia, Elly Soreyapranata traveled to the U.S. to specialize in food science. Today, she works at BASF to improve the taste, nutrient content and shelf life of carrots, watermelons and onions – without changing seeds or DNA, but purely with the fruit or vegetables themselves.  

Melissa Scranton and her team at the BASF research and development lab in San Diego are working towards more sustainable products. Who are their allies in doing so? Enzymes.