The research activities of the Institute of Chemical Technology at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg pursue the goal of sustainable chemistry. This is very much in the tradition of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, where the subject of sustainability has been deeply rooted since its introduction by the Freiberg mining administrator Hans Carl von Carlowitz in 1713. Building on this tradition of sustainability, we are particularly interested in the development and improvement of processes for the extraction of raw materials and in the field of recycling.
The Institute of Chemical Technology works in three main areas: raw materials chemistry, biotechnology and process technology. These disciplines are important levers for innovative and environmentally friendly processes. The transfer of these processes from research to practice is a major concern of the Institute of Chemical Technology, with spin-offs playing an important role.
In addition, the Institute of Chemical Technology is committed to the future and practice-oriented education of our students and is therefore involved in various research projects in the area of developing teaching methods, which are primarily concerned with laboratory education in higher education for working in the age of Industry 4.0.
Main research areas
At the Institute of Chemical Technology, we focus on the sustainable extraction of valuable materials such as phosphoric acid, precious metals and rare earths from primary and secondary raw materials. We also develop innovative processes to convert residual materials such as power plant ash and red mud into technically and economically interesting products such as geopolymers.
At the Institute of Chemical Technology at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, we conduct research in the field of process development for the utilisation of renewable raw and residual materials. The focus here is on the production of energy sources such as bioethanol and biogas as well as the innovative and sustainable utilisation of lignin.
The Institute of Chemical Technology conducts research in the field of process technology, primarily in the area of water and wastewater treatment and heterogeneous catalysis for the utilisation/conversion of e.g. CO2 into methanol.
The principle at the Institute of Chemical Technology is: From research into practice. The development of processes that can be put into practice already plays an important role in the research work of the Institute. This can also be seen in the successful spin-offs Parforce Technologie and RMF - Ressourcentechnologie und Metallveredelung Freiberg.
At the Institute of Chemical Technology, we attach great importance to practice-oriented teaching, which is closely linked to the current developments of Industry 4.0. Through research projects in the field of didactics and the development of new teaching setting, we strive to continuously improve and modernise our curriculum.