The project week at the Merseburg student laboratory offered the chemistry advanced course from the Canthor Gymnasium Halle a unique opportunity to dive into current questions of modern circular chemistry. For an entire week, the students explored how scientific approaches can contribute to solving real environmental challenges. The program was organized for the second time by the Center for the Transformation of Chemistry (CTC) in cooperation with Merseburg University of Applied Sciences – a partnership aimed at bringing chemistry to life for young people and inspiring them to pursue careers in science and engineering.
One of the central topics was how PET can be chemically recycled. The students carried out experiments covering both chemical and mechanical recycling and learned which processes can be used to break down, recover, and reuse plastic materials.
They were supported and guided in the laboratory by Toni Grell and Markus Lange from the Academy for Chemical Transformation, who worked closely with the groups and explained the scientific principles behind the methods. With hands-on demonstrations and structured guidance, they helped the students understand the complexities and potential of modern recycling technologies.
The practical sessions were complemented by a series of scientific talks from CTC researchers. These lectures explored the ongoing structural transformation in Central Germany, illuminated the importance of circular economy principles in the chemical industry, and highlighted how economic, ecological, and societal factors interact in the broader transformation process. Taken together, the program offered the students a comprehensive view of how chemical research contributes to future‑oriented innovations.
A particular highlight of the week was the visit from MDR – Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk, whose team documented the activities on site and reported on the project.
Link to the Video: MDR: Watch Here (German language)
Reinigung_PET
The PET pieces are being weighed
Schülerlabor
The participants of the student lab
Monomer
Erlenmeyer flask holding purified monomer
Utensilien
A variety of equipment for experiments
