Apart from the brainstorm current DPI research came up from discussion at the Annual Meeting.
Solar cells
Polymer solar cells are a serious option for the large-scale use of solar energy, suggested René Janssen, professor of Molecular Materials and Nanosystems at the TU Eindhoven. Solar cells will have to be produced cheaply in bulk and this is only possible for polymer solar cells. Presentation download.
Biobased polymers
Biopolymers offer the chemical industry the opportunity to innovate and thus begin a new growth curve, suggested Martin Patel of the Copernicus Centre of the University of Utrecht. Biobased, ‘bio', polymers can make a significant contribution to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Presentation download.
Synthetics and polymers
For Borealis, the host of this DPI Annual Meeting, the term sustainability forms a set of twelve mutual challenges, from drinking water and sanitation and the reduction of poverty to clean energy and biodiversity. According to Alfred Stern, vice president for Innovation & Technology at Borealis, synthetics and polymers have an important role to play in sustainability. Presentation download.
Here is an impression on the speakers' topics.