ELEMENTS

Dossier

Clean Effect

From shower gel to dishwashing detergents, surfactants ensure optimal cleaning in many products. The latest generation of surfactants offers several advantages.

To the dossier

Biosurfactants
Sustainable Hygiene
Evonik and Unilever have developed a surfactant based on rhamnolipids. It is highly efficient and completely degradable.
Global market
Surfactants: Facts and figures
Many everyday products contain surfactants. The global market is changing – an overview.
Dishwashing detergents
The potential of biosurfactants
The Unilever expert Bert Nijhuis about rhamnolipids and environmentally friendly products.
Biosurfactants
A clean sweep
Surfactants ensure that dishwashing liquids and shampoos do a thorough cleaning job. One particularly efficient class are biosurfactants.

Perspectives

Of chicken eggs and Antarctic vegetables

A researcher is growing vegetables in the Antarctic, Europe is producing less waste, and 3D printing keeps on growing.

Perspectives

Of effervescent tablets and printed steaks

Is the 3D printer soon going to be serving steaks? Does blockchain make food safer? And which country is home to the most vegetarians?

Water electrolysis

The membrane is the key

AEM electrolysis is expected to produce large amounts of green hydrogen. A new membrane will make it possible.

In my element

“I love and hate chlorine”

The diver Tina Punzel plunges every day into a chlorinated pool. What does she associate with the element chlorine?

The energy transition

Hydrogen: The energy carrier of the future

Jorgo Chatzimarkakis and Hans-Josef Fell discuss the role of hydrogen in the energy supply of the future.

The energy transition

Hydrogen fuels hope

Hydrogen has the potential to fundamentally change the economy. What challenges are the researchers up against?

All focal areas

An overview of the dossiers

Reports, interviews, and graphics: Our dossiers bring together everything worth knowing about the main themes of ELEMENTS.

From the sections

Research and Innovation

Chemical production

A Fantastic Shortcut

No diversions: Researchers from Evonik and the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis have succeeded in converting butadiene directly to adipic acid.

Additives

Good inside and out

A lot of food is thrown away or lost. Coatings and additives in plastic packaging are helping to reduce food waste.

Nutrition

A Plentiful and Sustainable Diet

Nearly ten billion people will be living on the planet in 2050—but what will all these people eat?

Markets and Regions

Additive manufacturing

3D printing: Facts and figures

Overview: global demand, most used materials and key players.

Collage of people, skyscrapers and soap bubbles

Corporate Foresight

The world in 2040 – scenarios for the future

What will the world look like in 2040? Futurologists at Evonik have developed five scenarios.

Food production

Agriculture: Facts and figures

The amount of resources required by agriculture, how much surface area it requires—and how the harvests are used.

People and Visions

Corporate Foresight

The Development of Hygiene

From bacterial infections to COVID-19, advances in hygiene have always played a key role in the fight against disease.

Bioprinting

Improving patients’ quality of life

Wai Yee Yeong talks about the potential benefits of bioprinting for medicine.

In my element

“I’m a 14-year-old chemistry student”

Alexander Mottl is studying chemistry at the University of Bochum—at the age of 14. His special focus is on rare metals such as gallium.

Opinion and Debate

Economic policy

Coronavirus crisis as an opportunity

Evonik CEO Christian Kullmann is calling for a comprehensive Sustainable Future Deal.

Europe

EU: The key is to be close to the people

Fabiana Scapolo, the Deputy Head of the EU Policy Lab, explains the central challenges facing Europe.

Nutrition

How to succeed at sustainable agriculture

Felix Prinz zu Löwenstein explains the steps to make organic farming possible.

Evonik Country
China: Determination in Times of Crisis
How China is prevailing in times of crisis and thus laying the foundations for future growth.
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Evonik Country
Slovakia
Of ice hockey, impressive mountains, and big ambitions: Impressions from the Evonik country Slovakia.
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Evonik Country
Argentina
Argentina combines state-of-the-art urban living with rural idylls: Impressions from this Evonik country in South America.
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Knowledge Storage

Issues of Elements in the archive

You will find an overview of previous issues of Elements here.

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