Researchers discover smarter way to recycle polyurethane

Researchers at Aarhus University have found a better method to recycle polyurethane foam

21-Aug-2024 - Polyurethane (PUR) is an indispensable plastic material used in mattresses, insulation in refrigerators and buildings, shoes, cars, airplanes, wind turbine blades, cables, and much more. It could be called a wonder material if it weren’t also an environmental and climate burden. Most of the PUR ...

Old mattresses made new

Simple chemistry can recycle polyurethane

08-Aug-2023 - Together with partners from industry, researchers from Aarhus University have now proven that simple chemistry can do more than just extract important raw materials from polyurethane foam – the most important component can also be reused again and again It created something of a stir when, back ...

New chemistry can extract virgin-grade materials from wind turbine blades in one process

28-Apr-2023 - The new chemical process is not limited to wind turbine blades but works on many different so-called fibre-reinforced epoxy composites, including some materials that are reinforced with especially costly carbon fibres. Thus, the process can contribute to establishing a potential circular economy ...

Microparticles with feeling

Researchers develop a new method to simultaneously measure flow and oxygen - Accurate and fast as never before

25-May-2022 - An international research team headed by the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen, Aarhus University and the Science for Life Lab in Uppsala has developed tiny particles that measure the oxygen concentration in their surroundings. In this way, they can track fluid flow and ...

Breakthrough in separating plastic waste

Machines can distinguish 12 different types of plastic thereby separate plastics according to their chemical composition

07-Jan-2022 - In contrast to common perceptions, plastic is in no way near one material. Rather, it is a combination of many materials (polymers) with different chemical compounds and additives such as pigments or fibres, depending on its use. It is very difficult to tell the difference between different types ...

New method for producing synthetic DNA

Chemically synthesized short DNA sequences are extremely important ingredients with countless uses

18-May-2021 - The DNA sequences produced are also called oligonucleotides. These are widely used for disease identification, for the manufacture of oligonucleotide-based drugs, and for several other medical and biotechnological applications. The high demand for oligonucleotides therefore requires an efficient ...

Nanobubbles in nanodroplets

Researchers investigate ultrafast reaction of superfluid helium triggerd by extreme ultraviolet laser pulses

10-Jan-2020 - A team headed by Professor Frank Stienkemeier at Freiburg’s Institute of Physics and Dr. Marcel Mudrich, professor at the University of Aarhus in Denmark, has observed the ultrafast reaction of nanodroplets of helium after excitation with extreme ultraviolet radiation (XUV) using a free-electron ...

How frogs' tongues become sticky

Research team investigates the surface chemistry of the frog sticky-tongue mechanism

29-Nov-2018 - Frogs' capture their preywiththestickymucuscoveringtheir tongues, but this mucusisn't inherently adhesive.Frogmucus is thought to be pressure-sensitive, with tongue retraction strain triggering adhesion. A research team from Oregan State University, Aarhus University and Kiel University ...

Simpler and safer method for handling a useful but foul-smelling gas in chemical synthesis

25-Sep-2018 - The chemical element sulfur is an important constituent in many pharmaceuticals and, consequently, it is desirable to be able to introduce sulfur-containing fragments efficiently in a broad range of chemical compounds. The Skrydstrup team provides an effective and safe way for introducing a ...

A patent-free playground

Researchers and industrial companies collaborate to create a new Open Science platform

01-Aug-2017 - Along with a number of leading Danish industrial companies, Aarhus University has opted out of the patent rat race in a new collaboration on industrially relevant basic research. Researchers and companies from all over Denmark publish all their results and data on the innovative Open Science ...