Innovate and React

Stopping PFAS at the Source: Innovating Industrial Wastewater Treatment

CONTRIBUTORS: * Dr. Rhea Machado * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rhea-machado-480879225/] * Dr. Kevin Hares * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-hares/] Thanks for considering to support the show on buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact [http://buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact] ☕️ In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Dr. Rhea Machado, the CEO and co-founder of Porelio, to discuss their solution for removing forever chemicals from our drinking water. We explore the widespread issue of PFAS accumulating in our water, our food, and even unborn children, and how short-chain PFAS remain a massive challenge because traditional methods like activated carbon and ion exchange resins fail to capture them. Rhea shares Porelio’s journey as a spinoff from the Technical University Berlin, where they took highly efficient but traditionally hard-to-produce functionalized ordered meso-porous silica and successfully scaled it for industrial use. The conversation dives deep into Porelio’s innovative approach, which uses an ordered pore structure equipped with engineered functional groups to quickly and selectively catch specific target molecules, whether that is toxic PFAS in industrial wastewater or valuable precious metals. We discuss the multifaceted challenges of scaling a B2B chemistry startup, from defining unit economics to simultaneously scaling production and navigating regulatory pathways like REACH, all while trying to find innovative R&D partners in a conservative industry.  * 03:08 – The Threat of PFAS and Why Traditional Filtration Fails  * 07:13 – Solution: Engineered Meso-Porous Silica  * 11:14 – Scaling Up: Unit Economics and Industry Partnerships  * 15:07 – Capturing Precious Metals and Acting as an Industry “Painkiller”  * 17:16 – Green Chemistry Startups, Public Funding, and University Hubs  * 25:20 – Advice for Future Founders: Finding Allies and Talking to Customers  ---------------------------------------- If you got interested in PFAS removal and water treatment visit Porelio’s website (https://www.porelio.com [https://www.porelio.com]), or contact Rhea on LinkedIn. ---------------------------------------- 🔔 To not miss an new episode join my newsletter (just notifications for new episodes nothing more): Newsletter [https://innovateandreact.com/newsletter/] 📩 Got a topic, guest idea, or want to talk about your research? Email me at contact@innovateandreact.com [contact@innovateandreact.com] 💬 Connect on LinkedIn | ⭐ Follow & Review the podcast to help others discover it! ☕️ Consider to support the shows production and keep me caffeinated www.buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact [http://buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact] Have questions about this episode? Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.

Beyond Fertilizer: The Future of Low-Emission Ammonia

CONTRIBUTORS: * Kevin Rouwenhorst, PhD * Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-rouwenhorst-6a40bb7a/] * Dr. Kevin Hares * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-hares/] Thanks for considering to support the show on buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact [http://buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact] ☕️ In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Kevin Rouwenhorst, the technology manager at the Ammonia Energy Association, to discuss the future of sustainable ammonia synthesis. We explore his journey into the clean molecule space, which ultimately led him to write a comprehensive book on low-emission ammonia technologies. Kevin clarifies a common misconception about the traditional Haber-Bosch process, explaining that over 90% of its CO2 emissions actually stem from hydrogen production, such as steam methane reforming or coal gasification, rather than the ammonia synthesis loop itself. The conversation dives deep into the challenges of decarbonizing this massive industry, focusing on the high costs of scaling green electrolytic hydrogen and the complexities of retrofitting existing plants for carbon capture. We discuss the engineering hurdles of designing flexible ammonia plants that can adapt to the variable loads of renewable energy sources. Beyond its traditional use in fertilizers, we explore exciting emerging use cases for low-emission ammonia, including its adoption as a zero-carbon maritime fuel, and its potential for power generation, such as co-firing in thermal plants and fueling combined cycle gas turbines. The episode concludes with a look at safety standards, the geopolitical implications of localizing energy production, and the fascinating history behind the Haber-Bosch process and Alwin Mittasch’s catalyst discovery. * 07:27 – Clarifying the Haber-Bosch Process and its True Emission Sources  * 14:16 – The Cost and Infrastructure Challenges of Low-Emission Ammonia  * 24:17 – Designing Flexible Ammonia Plants for Renewable Energy  * 33:04 – Emerging Markets: Maritime Fuel and Power Generation  * 38:29 – Safety, Standardization, and Training for New Applications  * 01:00:50 – The Fascinating History of the Haber-Bosch Process  ---------------------------------------- You can find Kevins book on low emission ammonia here: https://books.rsc.org/books/monograph/2486/Low-emission-Ammonia-Production-and-Utilization [https://books.rsc.org/books/monograph/2486/Low-emission-Ammonia-Production-and-Utilization] And here are related episodes which also cover ammonia: * https://innovateandreact.com/why-reversing-the-haber-bosch-process-requires-a-new-catalyst/ [https://innovateandreact.com/why-reversing-the-haber-bosch-process-requires-a-new-catalyst/] * https://innovateandreact.com/one-chemical-reaction-to-feed-them-all-the-synthesis-of-ammonia/ [https://innovateandreact.com/one-chemical-reaction-to-feed-them-all-the-synthesis-of-ammonia/] ---------------------------------------- 🔔 To not miss an new episode join my newsletter (just notifications for new episodes nothing more): Newsletter [https://innovateandreact.com/newsletter/] 📩 Got a topic, guest idea, or want to talk about your research? Email me at contact@innovateandreact.com [contact@innovateandreact.com] 💬 Connect on LinkedIn | ⭐ Follow & Review the podcast to help others discover it! ☕️ Consider to support the shows production and keep me caffeinated www.buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact [http://buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact] Have questions about this episode? Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.

Scaling Sustainable Chemistry: How Startups Can Transform the Industry

CONTRIBUTORS: * Stefan Weber * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefansofficial/] * Martin Bellof * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinbellof/] * Dr. Kevin Hares * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-hares/] Thanks for considering to support the show on buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact [http://buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact] ☕️ In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Stefan Weber and Martin Bellof, the founders of Chemstars, to discuss how to overcome common hurdles for founders in the chemical space. We explore the massive transformation currently underway in the chemical industry. Startups are a vital missing puzzle piece to help the industry move toward circularity, climate neutrality, and industrial resilience. Stefan and Martin explain how they help connect the startup ecosystem with the chemical industry to bring scientific innovations from the lab to the market. The conversation dives deep into the specific challenges chemistry founders face, such as lacking industry know-how, navigating a highly regulated market, and securing the capital needed to scale technical processes from the lab to industrial facilities. The episode concludes with actionable advice on the importance of getting out of the lab to validate ideas with potential customers. We also discuss the need to simplify complex science through storytelling and how to leverage early-stage networks. ---------------------------------------- * 00:00 – Introduction and the Mission of Chemstars * 03:41 – Why Now is the Time for Deep Tech and Chemistry Startups  * 09:46 – Sparking Innovation with the “From Lab to Market Challenge”  * 17:00 – The Three Biggest Challenges for Chemical Startups * 22:00 – Financing the Scale-Up with the Exist Transfer of Research Grant * 31:07 – Real-World Examples of Startups Scaling Up ---------------------------------------- If you got interested in starting your own startup and bringing your research from lab to marked check out https://www.chemstars.de [https://www.chemstars.de] and feel free to connect with Stefan and Martin on LinkedIn. They offer advice on how to get started and connect you with the right people. On their website you can also find their network and many interesting startups in the chemical space to get inspiration. ---------------------------------------- 🔔 To not miss an new episode join my newsletter (just notifications for new episodes nothing more): Newsletter [https://innovateandreact.com/newsletter/] 📩 Got a topic, guest idea, or want to talk about your research? Email me at contact@innovateandreact.com [contact@innovateandreact.com] 💬 Connect on LinkedIn | ⭐ Follow & Review the podcast to help others discover it! ☕️ Consider to support the shows production and keep me caffeinated buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact [http://buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact] Have questions about this episode? Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.

How innovative coatings are stopping microplastic pollution of the Ocean

CONTRIBUTORS: * Dr. Christina Linke * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-linke/] * Dr. Kevin Hares * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-hares/] Thanks for considering to support the show on buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact [http://buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact] ☕️ In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Dr. Christina Linke, a co-founder of Clean Ocean Coatings, to discuss how innovative chemistry can solve the pressing issue of biofouling in the shipping industry. We explore the massive environmental and economic costs of marine organisms attaching to ship hulls, which increases drag and leads to an estimated $150 billion in annual damages. Christina shares her journey from being a food scientist to discovering a nanostructured material, ultimately leading her to launch the startup during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The conversation dives deep into the devastating effects of traditional self-polishing coatings, which intentionally wash off over time to leach toxic biocides and microplastics into the oceans. To solve this, Clean Ocean Coatings developed a completely biocide-free, solvent-free hard coating that creates a super smooth surface, allowing for easy cleaning and generating significant fuel savings. The episode concludes with a look at the conservative nature of the maritime industry, the flawed regulatory challenges surrounding the cleaning of ship hulls, and actionable advice for scientists looking to bring their research to market through university startup hubs. ---------------------------------------- * 00:00 – Introduction and the Cost of Biofouling  * 04:53 – Clean Ocean Coatings: A Biocide-Free Solution  * 09:15 – Discovering the Technology and Founding in Lockdown  * 25:13 – Market Challenges and the 5-Year Docking Cycle  * 34:08 – The Regulatory Hurdles of Hull Cleaning  * 46:29 – Startup Advice for Scientists and the Wonders of Biochemistry ---------------------------------------- More informations about Clean Ocean Coatings on their website: https://www.cleanoceancoatings.com/ [https://www.cleanoceancoatings.com/] or on their LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleanoceancoatings/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleanoceancoatings/] Here they shared their recent success with test patches on an ocean vessels to proof the durability of their coating: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7437819375941906432 [https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7437819375941906432] ---------------------------------------- 🔔 To not miss an new episode join my newsletter (just notifications for new episodes nothing more): Newsletter [https://innovateandreact.com/newsletter/] 📩 Got a topic, guest idea, or want to talk about your research? Email me at contact@innovateandreact.com [contact@innovateandreact.com] 💬 Connect on LinkedIn | ⭐ Follow & Review the podcast to help others discover it! ☕️ Consider to support the shows production and keep me caffeinated buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact [http://buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact] Have questions about this episode? Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.

Why Reversing the Haber-Bosch Process Requires a New Catalyst

CONTRIBUTORS: * Prof. Malte Behrens * Dr. Kevin Hares * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-hares/] Thanks for considering to support the show on buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact [http://buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact] ☕️ In this episode of Innovate and React, I met with Malte Behrens, a professor of inorganic solid-state chemistry at the University of Kiel, to discuss ammonia as a vital carrier for the hydrogen economy. We explore the challenges of transporting pure hydrogen and how converting it into ammonia offers a more practical, carbon-free solution due to its ease of liquefaction and higher volumetric energy density. Malte shares his journey from solid-state chemistry to heterogeneous catalysis. The conversation dives deep into the necessity of discovering effective and scalable catalysts to decompose, or “crack” ammonia back into hydrogen gas for energy use and nitrogen. The discussion highlights the limitations of using traditional iron catalysts, as well as the economic barriers of using highly active but expensive ruthenium. To solve this, Malte’s research focuses on alloying iron with cobalt to prevent bulk nitridation, effectively finding the optimal balance of binding energy on the Sabatier volcano curve. The episode concludes with a look at the future of green ammonia, emphasizing the need for renewable energy-driven electrolysis to power a sustainable global energy trade. ---------------------------------------- * 00:00 – Introduction and Journey into Catalysis * 11:13 – Ammonia as a Hydrogen Carrier * 18:32 – Catalyst Challenges in Ammonia Decomposition * 28:49 – Optimizing with Iron-Cobalt Alloy Catalysts * 36:34 – Co-Precipitation Synthesis and Green Ammonia’s Future ---------------------------------------- More to read on the topic including the discussed publications: * M. Behrens, “Coprecipitation: An excellent tool for the synthesis of supported metal catalysts – From the understanding of the well known recipes to new materials” Catalysis Today 2015, 246, 46–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2014.07.050 [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2014.07.050] * S. Chen, J. Jelic, D. Rein, S. Najafishirtari, F.-P. Schmidt, F. Girgsdies, L. Kang, A. Wandzilak, A. Rabe, D. E. Doronkin, J. Wang, K. Friedel Ortega, S. DeBeer, J.-D. Grunwaldt, R. Schlögl, T. Lunkenbein, F. Studt, M. Behrens, “Highly loaded bimetallic iron-cobalt catalysts for hydrogen release from ammonia” Nat Commun 2024, 15, 871. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44661-6 [https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44661-6] * S. Perego, M. Purcel, Y. Baum, S. Chen, A. S. Müller, M. Parrinello, M. Behrens, M. Muhler, L. Bonati, “No Time for Nitrides: How Cobalt Alloying Promotes Iron Catalysts for Ammonia Decomposition” ACS Catal. 2025, 15, 16690–16702. https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.5c04795 [https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.5c04795] * B. Friedrich, D. Hoffmann, J. James, “One Hundred Years of the Fritz Haber Institute” Angewandte Chemie 2011, 123, 10198–10225. https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.201104792 [https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.201104792] * T. Kandemir, M. E. Schuster, A. Senyshyn, M. Behrens, R. Schlögl, “The Haber–Bosch Process Revisited: On the Real Structure and Stability of ‘Ammonia Iron’ under Working Conditions” Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2013, 52, 12723–12726. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201305812 [https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201305812] * W. Shin, H. Lai, G. Ibrahim, G. Zang, “Toward a sustainable energy future using ammonia as an energy carrier: global supply chain cost and greenhouse gas emissions” Energy Environ. Sci. 2026, 19, 162–188. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EE05571G [https://doi.org/10.1039/D5EE05571G] More about Maltes group: * Homepage: https://www.ac.uni-kiel.de/de/behrens [https://www.ac.uni-kiel.de/de/behrens] * Mastodon-Profile: https://fediscience.org/@SolidStateChemCatal_Kiel [https://fediscience.org/@SolidStateChemCatal_Kiel] ---------------------------------------- 🔔 To not miss an new episode join my newsletter (just notifications for new episodes nothing more): Newsletter [https://innovateandreact.com/newsletter/] 📩 Got a topic, guest idea, or want to talk about your research? Email me at contact@innovateandreact.com [contact@innovateandreact.com] 💬 Connect on LinkedIn | ⭐ Follow & Review the podcast to help others discover it! ☕️ Consider to support the shows production and keep me caffeinated buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact [http://buymeacoffee.com/innovateandreact] Have questions about this episode? Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.