Closed Looped Materials
Reuse and life-cycle-enhancement of rubbers is among the most pressing societal needs, as they form a significant amount of the overall polymer-waste mostly form tyres. Both, chemical synthesis, novel catalysts, and enzymatic degradation of rubber are studied to generate polymers with improved life-cycle as modern, environmentally friendly materials. Novel synthetic methodologies, self-healing behavior and the use of rubber-degrading enzymes intertwines technology with fundamental research.
Publications
Kersten, F., Hünemörder, N., Schendzielorz, F., Tozzi, L., Ernst, L., Wefers, D. Refined structural characterization and variability of gum arabic using partial hydrolysis. Food Hydrocolloids. 2026, 175, 112510. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112510
Kersten, F., Martin, D., van der Schaaf, U. S., Wefers, D. Quality control of gum arabic – Molecular basis and a new screening method. Food Hydrocolloids 2026, 175, 112454. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2026.112454
Kersten, F., Martin, D., van der Schaaf, U. S., Wefers, D. Gum Arabic – Same but different: Comparative analysis of structural characteristics and emulsifying properties of 20 Acacia senegal samples of various qualities. Food Hydrocolloids 2025, 165, 111231.
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2025.111231
Kieserling, H.; Sieg, H.; Heilscher, J.; Drusch, S.; Braeuning, A.; Thunemann, A. F.; Rohn, S. Towards understanding particle-protein complexes: Physicochemical, structural, and cellbiological characterization of beta-lactoglobulin interactions with silica, polylactic acid, and polyethylene terephthalate nanoparticles. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2025, 253, 114702. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2025.114702
Helena Kieserling, Holger Sieg, Jasmin Heilscher, Stephan Drusch, Albert Braeuning, Andreas F. Thünemann, Sascha Rohn,
Towards Understanding Particle-Protein Complexes: Physicochemical, Structural, and Cellbiological Characterization of β-Lactoglobulin Interactions with Silica, Polylactic Acid, and Polyethylene Terephthalate Nanoparticles,
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2025.114702.
Lehner, E.; Liebau, A.; Menzel, M.; Schmelzer, C. E. H.; Knolle, W.; Scheffler, J.; Binder, W. H.; Plontke, S. K.; Mäder, K. Characterization of PLGA versus PEG-PLGA intracochlear drug delivery implants: Degradation kinetics, morphological changes, and pH alterations. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology 2024, 99. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2024.105972.
Katcharava, Z.; Orlamünde, T. E.; Tema, L. T.; Hong, H.; Beiner, M.; Iliev, B.; Marinow, A.; Binder, W. H. Designing Conductive Pyrrolidinium‐Based Dual Network Gel Electrolytes: Tailoring Performance with Dynamic and Covalent Crosslinking. Advanced Functional Materials 2024, 34 (39). DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202403487.
Adjedje, V. K. B.; Wolf, Y. L.; Weissenborn, M. J.; Binder, W. H. Rubber Oxygenase Degradation Assay by UV-Labeling and Gel Permeation Chromatography. Macromol Rapid Commun 2024, 45 (11), e2400032. DOI: 10.1002/marc.202400032
Sattler, R.; Zhang, R.; Gupta, G.; Du, M.; Runge, P. M.; Altenbach, H.; Androsch, R.; Beiner, M. Influence of Crystallization Kinetics and Flow Behavior on Structural Inhomogeneities in 3D-Printed Parts Made from Semi-Crystalline Polymers. Macromolecules 2024, 57 (7), 3066-3080. DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.3c01940
Hildebrandt, J.; Taubert, A.; Thunemann, A. F. Synthesis and Characterization of Ultra-Small Gold Nanoparticles in the Ionic Liquid 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium Dicyanamide, [Emim][DCA]. ChemistryOpen 2024, 13 (2), e202300106. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/open.202300106
Paul, M. B.; Bohmert, L.; Thunemann, A. F.; Loeschner, K.; Givelet, L.; Fahrenson, C.; Braeuning, A.; Sieg, H. Influence of artificial digestion on characteristics and intestinal cellular effects of micro-, submicro- and nanoplastics. Food Chem Toxicol 2024, 184, 114423. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2023.114423
Sieg, H.; Schaar, C.; Fouquet, N.; Bohmert, L.; Thunemann, A. F.; Braeuning, A. Particulate iron oxide food colorants (E 172) during artificial digestion and their uptake and impact on intestinal cells. Toxicol In Vitro 2024, 96, 105772. DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2024.105772
Karekar A, Schicktanz C, Tariq M, Oßwald K, Reincke K, Cepus V, Langer B, Saalwächter K. Effects of artificial weathering in NR/SBR elastomer blends. Polym. Degrad. Stab. 2023, 208, 110267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2023.110267
Adjedje VKB, Schell E, Wolf YL, Laub A, Weissenborn MJ, Binder WH. Enzymatic degradation of synthetic polyisoprenes via surfactant-free polymer emulsification. Green Chemistry 2021, 23 (23), 9433-9438, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1GC03515K
Nagaraja SM, Henning S, Ilisch S, Beiner M. Common Origin of Filler Network Related Contributions to Reinforcement and
Dissipation in Rubber Composites. Polymers 2021, 13 (15), 2534. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13152534
Karekar A, Oßwald K, Reincke K, Langer B, Saalwächter K. NMR Studies on the Phase-Resolved Evolution of Cross-Link Densities in Thermo-Oxidatively Aged Elastomer Blends. Macromolecules 2020, 53, 24, 11166-11177. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.0c01614
Mordvikin A, Döhler D, Binder WH, Colby RH, Saalwächter K. Terminal Flow of Cluster-Forming Supramolecular Polymer Networks: Single-Chain Relaxation or Micelle Reorganization?. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2020, 125, 127801. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.127801
Chen S, Mahmood N, Beiner M, Binder WH. Self-Healing Materials from V- and H-Shaped Supramolecular Architectures. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2015, 54 (35), 10188-10192. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201504136
Patents / Awards
Patent „Biomimetic synthetic rubber“ (WO2020/043268), Wendler, U.; Malke, M.; Müller, L.G.B.; Schulze Gronover, Ch.; Prüfer, D.; Wötzel, J.; Beiner, M.; Gupta, G.
Hugo Junkers Prize 2020 „Innovativstes Projekt der Angewandten Forschung“
https://www.hugo-junkers-preis.de/preistraeger/preistraeger-2020
Collaborative research centers / Network
