Research Group Prof. Dr.-Ing. Albert

One of the current main challenges of our society is the future supply of energy and basic chemicals based on renewable feedstock. A sustainable and flexible availability of energy feedstock forms the basis for a future highly developed industrial society.

The significance of alternative energy sources continues to grow due to the foreseeable scarcity of fossil fuels as well as the growing awareness in policy, industry and society to place our future industrial development on a sustainable (bio-based) footing.

For this purpose, the research group Albert is focused on the substitution of fossil raw materials with feedstock from renewables and carried out in close cooperation with our industrial and academic partners.

News

2024

2024-12-03	Congratulations to Dr. Samrin Shaikh on her article “Application of laser-generated Au-Ag/Al2O3 nanoparticle catalysts for the selective catalytic oxidation of 5-(hydroxymethyl) furfural to 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid” in collaboration with the University of Duisburg-Essen in European Journal of Organic Chemistry (https://doi.org/10.1002/ejoc.202401083).
2024-10-07	Congratulations to Dominique Lumpp and Group 5 of the 1st effects Summer School "Catalysis at the core of more efficient processes in the chemical industry" in Karlsruhe on winning the award for the best group pitch. Copyright: AK Albert
2024-09-30	We say goodbye to our colleague Stefanie Wesinger and thank you for the great work over the last few years. We wish you all the best for your future!
2024-09-26	Congratulations to Anne Wesner on her co-publication with DTU Lyngby "Conversion of Sugars to Lactic Acid using homogeneous Niobium-substituted Polyoxometalate Catalysts" in Chemistry - A European Journal (http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/chem.202402649)
2024-09-07	We welcome our new post-doctoral researcher Christianah Akinnawo from South Africa for her three-month research stay as part of a DFG-TWAS fellowship.
2024-09-01	We welcome our new employee Elisabeth Hundt. She will support our ERC team in the field of anaerobic biomass valorisation. Welcome to the team!
2024-05-31	This year's excursion took place from 27 to 31 May and brought us to the region around Nuremberg. In addition to the four companies OxFA GmbH, Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies (see photo), Siemens Energy AG and Kyocera AVX Comonents GmbH, we also visited the HySON Research Institute for Applied Hydrogen Research in Sonneberg. The factory and laboratory tours gave us the opportunity to see some examples of chemical process engineering applications and to gain new insights into hydrogen research. Away from the science, the visit to the Erlangen Bergkirchweih was a highlight and the excursion as a whole was a great opportunity to grow together as a working group. Foto: Hydrogenious LOHC
2024-05-15	Collaborative publication with FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg on "Supported ruthenium phosphide as a promising catalyst for selective hydrogenation of sugars" in European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry published (https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.202400117).
2024-05-08	Congratulations to Jan-Dominik Krueger for his first publication as part of the ERC project "BioValCat" in cooperation with the University of Bath on the topic "In-Situ Investigations of Polyoxometalate-Catalysed Biomass Oxidation to Formic Acid by Using Multinuclear High Resolution Flow NMR Spectroscopy" in ChemCatChem (https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202400402).
2024-05-01	We welcome our new post-doctoral student Daniel Niehaus. We are also pleased to welcome our new technician Regina Dockweiler and our new HiWis Daryna Mahmoodi and Dominik Scheich. Welcome to the team!
2024-04-30	Many thanks to our long-standing employees Philipp Kampe and Angela Käther. We wish you all the best for the future in the industry and in your well-deserved retirement!
2024-04-03	We welcome our two new Master's students Ira Wirth and Leonie Schindelhauer. Welcome to the team!
2024-04-01	We welcome our new PhD student Lasse Prawitt. Welcome to the team!
2024-03	Numerous new publications in cooperation with the Technical University of Hamburg in Biomass & Bioenergy (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107136), with the FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.03.163), as well as in a cooperation with the Imperial College London, the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion Mülheim and the University of Siegen in ChemChatChem (DOI:10.1002/cctc.202400395).
2024-03-20	Congratulations to Tobias Esser on his publication "Selective catalytic oxidation of humins to carboxylic acids using the H4[PVMo11O40] Keggin-type polyoxometalate enhanced by alcohol doping and solubilizer" in Reaction Chemistry & Engineering (DOI: 10.1039/D3RE00672G)
2024-02-22	New industrial project "Biomass research" in cooperation with Hansen & Rosenthal GmbH & Co KG starts on 01.03.2024.
2024-02-13	New publication in collaboration with RWTH Aachen University entitled "Transition-metal Substituted Polyoxometalates as Soluble RedOx Mediators in Electrocatalytic Biomass Conversion" published in ChemCatChem (https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cctc.202301632).
2024-01-02	We welcome our new PhD students Andreas Pawlig and Robert Becker. Welcome to the team!
2024-01-01	Congratulations to Tobias Esser on his publication "Catalytic Valorization of Humins by Selective Oxidation Using Transition-Metal-Substituted Keggin-Type Polyoxometalate Catalysts" in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c06539).

2023

2023-12-12	New industrial project "Research into the release and conversion into electricity of biomass-derived hydrogen with formic acid as a storage substance" in cooperation with OxFA GmbH starts on 01.01.2024.
2023-12-04	Congratulations to Jan-Christian Raabe and Maximilian Poller on the joint publication with the MPI for the Dynamics of Complex Systems in Magdeburg "Heteroelements in polyoxometalates: a study on the influence of different group 15 elements on polyoxometalate formation" in Dalton Transactions (https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2023/dt/d3dt03883a).
2023-12-01	Congratulations to Dr. Magdy Sherbi for his PhD on the topic of „Catalytic hydroprocessing of biomass derived compounds to renewable biofuels and chemicals using polyoxometalate catalysts“.
2023-11-02	Congratulations to Anne Wesner and Philipp Kampe on their publication "Indium-based Catalysts for CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol: Key Aspects for Catalytic Performance" in ChemCatChem (https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cctc.202301125).
2023-10-02	We welcome our two new team members Samrin Shaikh (post-doc) and Dominique Lumpp (PhD student). Welcome to the team!
2023-09-29	We say goodbye to Sebastian Eller, André Wassenberg and Tobias Esser and thank them for the great cooperation over the past years. Good luck to you in the industry!
2023-09-22	Congratulations to Philipp Kampe on his publication "Catalyst and Parameter Optimization Study for Slurry-Phase Methanol Synthesis Using Ni-Doped Indium-Based Catalysts" in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c05584).
2023-09-06	Joint article with MPI Mülheim and TU Darmstadt on "Carbon supported polyoxometalates as recyclable solid acid catalysts in aqueous reactions" published in Applied Catalysis A: General (https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1hi-a,L4mbUWv9).
2023-09-01	Two new team members have started their work at UHH. Welcome to our new PhD students Zainab Yusufzadeh and Leon Schidowski.
2023-09-01	New research project "BioValCat - Enhanced Biomass Valorisation by Engineering of Polyoxometalate Catalysts" funded by the European Union (ERC, project number 101086573) started.
2023-08-28	New article published in cooperation with TU Berlin and FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg under the title "Effect of Conversion, Temperature and Feed Ratio on In2O3/In(OH)3 Phase Transitions in Methanol Synthesis Catalysts: A Combined Experimental and Computational Study" in ChemPlusChem (http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cplu.202300425).
2023-08-01	We welcome our new students Lasse Prawitt (master researcher) and Hamid Anwari (bachelor researcher). Welcome to the team!
2023-07-17	New article published in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute for the Dynamics of Complex Systems under the title "Study on the incorporation of various elements into the Keggin lacunary-type phosphomolybdate [PMo9O34]9- and subsequent purification of the polyoxometalates by nanofiltration" in Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers (https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2023/qi/d3qi00937h)
2023-06-30	Landmark article on e-fuels labeling and stabilization in collaboration with Volkswagen AG on "Nile red as a fluorescence marker and antioxidant for regenerative fuels" published in Energy Technology (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ente.202300260).
2023-06-26	New industrial project "LigPOMMem-Full value addition of lignin to C1-C6 chemicals in a catalytic membrane reactor" starts 07/01/2023.
2023-06-12	New joint article with University of Bayreuth published in Energy & Fuels on "Extraction-Coupled Oxidative Desulfurization (ECODS) of n-Tetradecane as Model Oil under Moderate Conditions Using Molecular Oxygen" (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.3c00971).
2023-06-19	New joint article with FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg published in Applied Energy on "Economic comparison of electric fuels for heavy duty mobility produced at excellent global sites - a 2035 scenario" (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261923007432?dgcid=author).
2023-06-19	We welcome our new master researcher Lorenz Harbacher. Welcome to the team!
2023-06-05	We welcome our new exchange students McKinley Hoffmann (University of Alabama, USA) and Emma Petersen (University of St Andrews, Scotland), who are doing a 3-month research internship with us as part of a DAAD RISE scholarship.
2023-05-17	It was a great pleasure that we received the decision of the German Research Foundation (DFG) to establish the Collaborative Research Center (SFB) 1615 "SMART Reactors" (https://intranet.tuhh.de/presse/pressemitteilung_einzeln.php?id=14380&Lang=de). In the future, we will work on new technologies for intelligent reactors together with colleagues from the process engineering department at the TUHH, being the speaker university. The start of the new SFB is 01.10.2023.
2023-05-02	Review on "H₈[PV₅Mo₇O₄₀] (HPA-5) - a unique polyoxometalate for acid and RedOx catalysis: synthesis, characterization, and modern applications in green chemical processes" published on ChemSusChem (https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cssc.202300072).
2023-04-04	Congratulations to André Wassenberg on his publication "Investigation of the Formation, Characterization, and Oxidative Catalytic Valorization of Humins" in Materials (https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/7/2864).
2023-03-23	Congratulations to Jan-Christian Raabe on his publication "Comparative Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Study of V(V)-Substituted Keggin-Type Phosphomolybdates and -Tungstates" in Inorganics (https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6740/11/4/138).
2023-03-15	Congratulations to Michael Huber on his publication "Revealing the nitrogen reaction pathway for the catalytic oxidative denitrification of fuels" in collaboration with the University of Bayreuth in Chemical Communications (https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2023/CC/D3CC00648D).
2023-03-01	Congratulations to Michael Huber on his publication "Extractive Catalytic Oxidative Deoxygenation of Model Fuels Catalyzed by a Vanadium-Substituted Heteropolyacid and Molecular Oxygen" in collaboration with the University of Bayreuth in Energy & Fuels (https://pubs.acs.org/articlesonrequest/AOR-W4SI2S5YTGGJZS3BGKR9).
2023-01-31	"This result will be good news for you..." - with these words we learned about the receipt of the ERC Consolidator Grant for Prof. Albert for his proposal "BioValCat" - Enhanced Biomass Valorisation by Engineering of Polyoxometalate Catalysts (see press release <https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/newsroom/presse/2023/pm5.html>)! We are looking forward to starting this exciting lighthouse project with the support of the Department of Chemistry from summer on. "We are ready to undertake the BioValCat venture!"
2023-01-01	We welcome our new team member Nick Herrmann (PhD). Welcome to the team!

2022

2022-12-13	Maximilian J. Poller is delighted about the funding "Calls for Transfer" (C4T) for his project "Development of a concept for the single-step dimethyl ether synthesis from CO2 and green hydrogen".
2022-12-01	Welcome to our new master researchers Even Cheung and Malte Maßmann (in cooperation with Prof. Schlüter at TUHH).
2022-10-21	Congratulations to Maximilian J. Poller on his publication "3D-Printed Raney-Cu POCS as Promising New Catalysts for Methanol Synthesis" in Cooperation with the FAU Erlangen in the journal Catalysts (https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/12/10/1288/pdf).
2022-10-20	The Albert research group is pleased to receive financial support from the "Fonds der Chemischen Industrie" (FCI) to promote the teaching of sustainable circular economy as part of the practical course related to the module "Sustainable production of platform chemicals" (see FCI press release of 19.10.22).
2022-10-01	Congratulations to Maximilian J. Poller on his publication "Elucidating activating and deactivating effects of carboxylic acids on polyoxometalate-catalysed three-phase liquid-liquid-gas reactions" in Chemical Engineering Science (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0009250922007278?dgcid=author).
2022-07-02	Congratulations to Tobias Esser on his first publication "Development of an efficient downstream process for product separation and catalyst recycling of a homogeneous polyoxometalate catalyst by means of nanofiltration membranes and design of experiments" in Chemical Engineering Research and Design (https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S0263-8762(22)00336-7).
2022-07-01	We welcome our new team members Sebastian Eller (post-doc) and Jan Krueger (PhD).
2022-06-30	We bid farewell to our long-time employee Dr.-Ing. Anna Bukowski and wish her all the best for the future!
2022-06-28	The research group congratulates its professor Jakob Albert on his successful habilitation. The ceremony of handing over the habilitation certificate took place on 28 June at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg by the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Andreas Paul Fröba.
2022-06-22	Congratulations to Jan-Christian Raabe on his first publication "Spectroscopic, Crystallographic, and Electrochemical Study of Different Manganese(II)-Substituted Keggin-Type Phosphomolybdates" in Chemistry - A European Journal (https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202201084).
2022-06-17	Congratulations to Dr. Anna Bukowski on her publication "Sensitivity Analysis and Parameter Optimization for the Fractionative Catalytic Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass in the PolyoxometalateIonosolv Concept" in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering (https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c01550).
2022-06-13	We welcome our new exchange student Kelly Tam from Northwestern University in Evanston, USA, who is doing a 10-week research internship with us as part of a DAAD scholarship.
2022-05-02	We welcome our new visiting scientist Amir Tabari from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada as part of the BMBF funded project "BioFA".
2022-05-02	2022-05-02 Three new team members have started their work at UHH. Welcome to our new master students Jose Aceituno and Shreya Desai (TUHH) and our new bachelor student Simon Bisse.
2022-03-01	We welcome our new guest scientist Anne Lichtinger from HS Coburg within the project "Sensor for e-fuels".
2022-02-24	A new team member has started his work at UHH. Welcome to our new master researcher Nick Herrmann.
2022-02-01	New project "Catalyst development using reaction medium optimized polyoxometallate catalysts" started in collaboration with Forschungszentrum Jülich.

2021

2021-12-22	New project "HetPOM" in cooperation with OxFA GmbH will start on 01.01.2022.
2021-12-22	New project "Sensor for e-fuels" in collaboration with Coburg University will be funded by the Research Association of Combustion Engines (FVV) starting March 2022.
2021-12-20	Congratulations to our master's thesis researcher Adrian Vaghar on his successful defense.
2021-12-01	A new team member has started his work at UHH. Welcome to our new master's student Jan Krüger.
2021-10-01	New project "BioFA" in cooperation with McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada is funded by the BMBF as part of a German-Canadian cooperation in the funding area "Mobility with Canada 2021".
2021-10-01	A new team member has started her work at UHH. Welcome Stefanie Wesinger!
2021-09-20	First joint paper with TUHH on "Superior CNT-supported bimetallic RuCu catalyst for the highly selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,2-propanediol" published in Catalysis Science & Technology (https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2021/CY/D1CY01518D?page=search).
2021-09-14	Congratulations to Magdy Sherbi on his publication "Modelling and optimization of bio-2-hexanol production from biomass derived dimethylfuran using Pt/K₃PW₁₂O₄₀ by response surface methodology" in Computers & Chemical Engineering (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2021.107546).
2021-09-10	New publication in cooperation with University Duisburg-Essen on the topic "Laser-Generated InOx/ZrO2 Catalysts for CO2 Hydrogenation: Role of In Situ Fragmentation and Ripening Control" published in ACS Applied Energy Materials (https://pubs.acs.org/articlesonrequest/AOR-5FUSY89YUUZYEZZY5WGU).
2021-08-23	Congratulations to Stefanie Wesinger on her publication "Valorization of secondary feedstocks from the agroindustry by selective catalytic oxidation to formic and acetic acid using the OxFA process" in Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-021-01854-7).
2021-08-01	A new team member started his work at UHH. Welcome to our new Master's student Leon Bacanli!
2021-06-04	Congratulations to Magdy Sherbi on his publication "Selective catalytic hydrogenation of biomass derived furans to secondary alcohols using Pt/polyoxometalate catalysts under mild reaction conditions" in Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining (https://doi.org/10.1002/bbb.2248).
2021-06-01	A new team member has started his work at UHH. Welcome to our new Master's student Adrian Vaghar.
2021-05-27	Congratulations to Stefanie Wesinger on her publication "Alcohol-activated vanadium-containing polyoxometalate complexes in homogeneous glucose oxidation identified with 51VNMR and EPR spectroscopy" in ChemCatChem (https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cctc.202100632).
2021-05-17	New research project in cooperation with Nitto Denko Technical Corporation on the topic: "Selective liquid phase technologies for the production of acrylic acid from glycerol" starts on 01.06.2021.
2021-04-23	We congratulate our employee Anna Bukowski on the successful defense of her doctoral thesis with the title "Applications of redox-active polyoxometalate catalysts for technical relevant biomass conversion technologies".
2021-02-08	New research project in cooperation with the Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (FNR) and Siemens AG on the topic: "Continuous selective oxidative depolymerization of lignin to valuable monoaromatics using polyoxometalate-based catalysts and just-in-time product removal (POMlig)" starts on 01.04.2021.
2021-01-01	A new team member started her work at UHH. Welcome to Anne Wesner!

2020-12-01	New team members started their work in our group. Welcome to Jan-Christian Raabe our first master student Stefanie Wesinger!
2020-10-19	New research project in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency) "Feasibility Of Oxidation Of Ligno-cellulosic Materials Using Polyoxometalate - A Preliminary Assessment" starts on 2020-12-01.
2020-10-01	Starting new research project "Selective catalytic conversion of humins to low-molecular carboxylic acids using specifically designed polyoxometalates" funded by DFG (Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft).
2020-10-01	New team members started their work at UHH. Welcome to Dr. Maximilian Poller, Tobias Esser, André Wassenberg, Philipp Kampe!
2020-09-01	The first part of our working group started at Hamburg University. We are looking forward to new challenges! Welcome to Dr. Dorothea Voß, Anna Bukowski, Michael Huber, Magdy Sherbi and our Technician Michael Gröger.