Jochen Block Award 2025 for Dr. Thomas Seidensticker
Start-up “simplyfined” wants to make the chemical industry more sustainable
The Jochen Block Award 2025 of the German catalysis Society goes to Dr. Thomas Seidensticker, TU Dortmund University. This is in recognition of his outstanding work on the development of selective chemo-catalytic processes for the use of renewable raw materials. The Jochen Block Award is endowed with 3,000 euros and honors outstanding achievements by young scientists. It will be presented at Jahrestreffen Deutscher Katalytiker, the Annual Meeting of German Catalysts, March 12-14, 2025, in Weimar.
In his research at the Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry at TU Dortmund University, Thomas Seidensticker is working on how platform chemicals can be produced from vegetable oils using homogeneous catalysis. His research focuses primarily on technical feasibility. On the one hand, continuous processes in miniplants with integrated catalyst recycling are being developed and, on the other hand, the conversion of polyunsaturated fatty acids into monounsaturated compounds using innovative catalyst systems is examined, which will significantly advance the use of vegetable oils as renewable raw materials.
Thomas Seidensticker analyzed how the presence of polyunsaturated compounds affects the activities and selectivities of homogeneous catalytic functionalization reactions, which mechanisms cause these effects, and which systems exist for selective partial hydrogenation. As a result of this research, Thomas Seidensticker and his team developed a completely new technology for selective partial hydrogenation, filed a patent application for it and are now bringing it to market with the founding of “simplyfined”. The aim of this start-up is to make the chemical industry more sustainable.
Thomas Seidensticker, born in 1987, studied chemistry at TU Dortmund University and received his PhD in 2016. Since 2020, he has been the group leader of the independent junior research group “Renewlysis”, funded by the “Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft”. Thomas Seidensticker has received numerous awards for his outstanding achievements, including the DECHEMA-Hochschullehrer-Nachwuchspreis für Technische Chemie in 2022. Thomas Seidensticker is on the board of abiosus e.V., a non-profit association for the promotion of research on renewable raw materials, is the initiator of the Westdeutschen Katalyse Lehrverbundes (WDKL) and a freelance contributor to “Die Physikanten”.
Other news from the department people
Most read news
More news from our other portals
Something is happening in the chemical industry ...
This is what true pioneering spirit looks like: Plenty of innovative start-ups are bringing fresh ideas, lifeblood and entrepreneurial spirit to change tomorrow's world for the better. Immerse yourself in the world of these young companies and take the opportunity to get in touch with the founders.