The current crude oil crisis is not only felt at the fuel pump. The chemical industry, which relies heavily on fossil resources in many areas, is also experiencing the effects of geopolitically driven supply shortages. Numerous everyday products – from plastics and cosmetics to textiles – are becoming more expensive. This makes one question increasingly urgent: How can chemistry function in the long term without crude oil?
This question was at the heart of the “Researchers’ Questions (Forscher fragen)” event on April 30, 2026, where our research group leader Laura König‑Mattern discussed the topic with science journalist and TV host Johannes Büchs in front of a broad audience. The discussion was inspired by her research on sustainable solvents, for which she was awarded the 2nd place of the German Thesis Award in 2025 by the Körber Foundation.
Laura König‑Mattern’s research focuses on the use of biomass – such as wood or microalgae – as an alternative and sustainable source of carbon. To make these raw materials suitable for industrial use, they must be broken down into their chemical building blocks in so‑called biorefineries using solvents. However, many of the solvents currently employed are toxic or themselves derived from crude oil.
At the Center for the Transformation of Chemistry, we are jointly advancing such solutions to make chemical value chains more sustainable in the long term and to enable new bio‑based alternatives for industry.
The full recording of the event is available in the German Thesis Award media library (in German)
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Laura König‑Mattern at the final round of the German Thesis Award, Photo: © David Ausserhofer
