Videos

Max
Bols
FWO
KU Leuven

Beating enzymes at chemical catalysis

To make the production of plastics and other chemical processes less energy-intensive and waste-producing, Max Bols turns to nature. Enzymes, the catalysts of living cells, hold the key to improve chemical processes, as he explains in this video. 
Tim
Croes
FWO
KU Leuven

Making plastic out of wood

What if we could make plastic out of... Wood waste? This is already possible today, but unfortunately the technology to make such bioplastics is not yet fully developed. Tim Croes wants to help change that.
Iris
Vanermen
KU Leuven

How to make the invisible soil life visible?

Soil biodiversity in our European forests is in bad shape. By focusing on public awareness, Iris Vanermen wants to help keep our forests healthy, so that we and future generations can enjoy them for a long time to come.
Gwenny
Thomassen
UAntwerpen
UGent
UHasselt
VITO

How to reduce the environmental impact of new inventions?

Too often, companies take too little account of the environmental impact of these inventions when developing new products. Gwenny Thomassen wants to change this: she developed a model to calculate both the cost price and the impact on the environment for products based on micro-algae.
Willem
Vercruysse
UHasselt

From biomass to renewable bioproducts

Ever heard of pyrolysis? Then chances are you have a self-cleaning oven. But pyrolysis more than a fancy option in a modern oven. Willem Vercruysse uses this method to make fertilizers and water purification products from microalgae and ivy. 
Leila
Paquay
UHasselt

Industrial hemp's unexpected friends

Leila Paquay turns to funghi and bacteria to grow high-quality industrial hemp - not to be confused with drug type cannabis.
Ariana
Ramos
KU Leuven
Vlerick

Can I give you my energy?

People are selling overnight stays in their spare rooms and rides in their car. Then why can't they sell their unused (solar) energy? In her research Ariana Ramos proposes new rules that would enable you as a consumer to trade energy with other consumers.
Danny
Vanpoucke
FWO
UHasselt

Virtual experiments with real materials

Imagine a world in which you can see and manipulate atoms of your own choice and in which you can rig the forces of nature to your liking. Danny Vanpoucke introduces you to the wonderful world of computational material research.
An
Verfaillie
KU Leuven

From green water to green raw material!

An Verfaillie (KULAK) is developing a technique for harvesting microalgae. Because those algae could well become the green raw material of the future!