Projects

Rethinking Environmental Education: Developing a Concept for the Haus am See Schlaitz

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The Haus am See in Schlaitz has been an environmental education centre on the northern shore of the Mulde Reservoir in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld for over 30 years. As a facility run by the district’s environmental agency, it combines nature experiences, regional history and extracurricular education. The JTC provides occasional support for the centre’s conceptual development.

Shaping Participation Before a Place Takes Form: Supporting the Halle-Neustadt Campus House

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In Halle-Neustadt, the Campushaus is being developed as a new extracurricular learning and meeting place for children, teenagers and young adults. Funded by the EU’s Just Transition Fund and the state of Saxony-Anhalt, the project is being initiated and implemented by the City of Halle. The JTC is supporting the development phase of the Campus with a focus on stakeholder participation and co-creation.

Spin Regulated Catalyst for Enhanced Electrocatalysis

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This project explores chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) as a strategy to control reaction pathways and enhance performance in key electrochemical reactions, including CO₂ reduction (CO₂RR), oxygen evolution (OER), and hydrogen evolution (HER).

Enhancing electrocatalysts by spin state modulation and external magnetic field

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The spin state of the metal in electrocatalysts influences the catalytical properties of the catalysts, in terms of its efficiency and selectivity. Previous studies have concluded that the spin state affects both the thermodynamic interaction between the catalyst and the reaction intermediate and the kinetics of electron transfer. Based on this foundation, catalysts can be designed to lead the electrocatalytic reactions into a more efficient and selective pathway. With the assistance of external magnetic field, this optimization can be further amplified.

Vitrimeric Polymers

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The life-cycle of polymers remains a critical concern for modern society, as the large-scale production of plastics demands solutions that are both ecologically responsible and economically viable. Vitrimers, a novel class of materials, merge the best features of the two main types of polymers: thermosets and thermoplastics, offering enhanced durability, recyclability, and self-healing abilities. Traditional thermosets, which are crosslinked permanent polymer networks, are widely favored for their mechanical strength and chemical resistance, but they are difficult to recycle once cured. In contrast, thermoplastic polymers can be melted and reshaped, but often lack the necessary stability required for more demanding applications. Vitrimers overcome these limitations by embedding dynamic bond exchange, allowing their reprocessability at high temperatures, while retaining structural integrity under operating conditions.