Making mechanochemistry marketable
Dr. Özgül Agbaba and her team officially found MechSyn GmbH
Dr. Özgül Agbaba and her team founded MechSyn GmbH to advance sustainable mechanochemistry, aiming to scale production for industrial applications.
On October 10, the yearlong work of Dr. Özgül Agbaba and her team at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung culminated in the official founding of MechSyn GmbH. Their goal is to revolutionize how we synthesize materials using mechanochemistry, making synthesis more sustainable and efficient. “After years of preparation and research, we finally signed the contracts. Without the support of Prof. Ferdi Schüth, the institute, and our fantastic team, this would not have been possible,” says Agbaba. “Now we continue our work and turn our research into real impact that respects both the planet and the people. We are excited for this next chapter in our journey.”
Traditional chemical synthesis often relies on high temperatures, high pressure, or large volumes of liquid solvents to drive reactions. Mechanochemistry takes a different path, which can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 90 percent. Solid starting materials are placed in a ball mill, where steel or ceramic balls transfer mechanical energy as the mill rotates. Under these mild conditions, reactions occur at room temperature and standard pressure, rather than under more extreme conditions. “Mechanochemistry allows us to synthesize materials that are almost impossible to produce any other way,” explains Agbaba. “It’s scientifically exciting, but also highly relevant for industry. Lower temperatures mean lower costs and no use of fossil fuels. And because the reactions take place in the solid state, no solvents are needed, which makes the process cleaner and more sustainable.”
Upscaling production
Until now, most mechanochemical work has been limited to laboratory experiments producing small quantities. MechSyn’s mission is to scale up. “Producing a few grams of a material is not enough for industrial applications or even for tests in industrial conditions.” says Agbaba. “We are developing a much larger customized ball mill and exploring production facilities in the Ruhr region, close to the institute. This region has a long industrial heritage, and we want to contribute to a green transformation while maintaining that industrial tradition.”
MechSyn is now the first official spin-off of the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, an institute with a long tradition of patents and inventions like the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis, Karl Ziegler’s Nobel Prize-winning polyolefin process or Kurt Zosel’s supercritical CO₂ process for the decaffeination of green coffee beans. MechSyn continues this tradition with a strong focus on sustainable chemistry.
