Institute of Catalysis Research and Technology (IKFT)
The Institute of Catalysis Research and Technology was founded 2011. Its mission is to bridge the gap between fundamental and applied research and the development of new technologies and products in the field of catalysis and process technology of catalyzed processes. The focus of our work is the sustainable utilization of alternative feedstocks and their conversion into energy carriers intermediates. This includes the development of new catalytic systems based on a fundamental understanding of processes on a molecular level. The institute receives basic funding from the Helmholtz Association's program-oriented funding, largely in the Energy research field in the program Materials and Technologies for the Energy Transition.

Asad Asadli won the Best Poster Award at the 58th international Annual Meeting of German Catalytic Scientists (Jahrestreffen Deutscher Katalytiker) in Weimar. Congratulations!
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On February 18, 2025, Dr. Matthias Betz successfully passed his doctoral examination and defended his thesis on the topic “Production of gasoline-like paraffins from ethylene”.
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For the third time in a row, task lead of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy Task 34 ‚Direct Thermochemical Liquefaction (DTL)‘ will remain at IKFT with Dr.-Ing. Axel Funke and Alex Böhm for the upcoming triennium 2025-2027. IEA Bioenergy Task 34 consists of representatives from research institutes and industry to advance commercial implementation of DTL technology. One key aspect of the upcoming work will be mobilization of diverse biogenic residues, a topic that has been fostered by IKFT for many years already. Additionally, cross cutting topics like negative CO2 emissions, flexible supply of energy, and synergies between hydrogen- and bio-based value chains are actively shaped within IEA Bioenergy.

With the laying of the cornerstone on November 20, 2024, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) celebrated the start of construction of a new research building for the Institute for Catalysis Research and Technology (IKFT) at KIT.
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In the BMWK joint project “3D-PROCESS”, researchers from Evonik, KIT and Siemens are developing innovative reactor concepts that fit into a shoebox.
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Asad Asadli won a Poster Prize at the 3rd International Conference on Unconventional Catalysis, Reactors and Applications (UCRA 2024) in Warshaw, Poland. Congratulations!
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