Biopos – Research Institute of Bioactive Polymer Systems e.V. (BIOPOS)
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Birgit Kamm
Biopos, the Research Institute of Bioactive Polymer Systems, was founded in 1996 in the research campus of Teltow-Seehof as a non-profit organisation to support the natural sciences with an affiliated institute by the same name. The central focus of the institute is the research and development of sustainable, ecological biorefinery-concepts, -processes, -systems and products. Along with this, special attention will be placed on bioactive polymer systems, in particular affinity carrier materials, the chromatography, polyelectrolyte complexes as well as bioorganic synthesis chemistry.
Cellulose, sugar and proteins as basic products in the refinery will be treated as a complex natural material. However, particular interest is given to the biotechnological as well as chemical-hydrolytic degradation products. These biorefinery products will be, thanks to conservative, purposeful methods, constructed into novel active and material substances. One approach by Biopos is to change the molecular structure as little as possible, in order to transfer the advantages of the natural material to the end product.
Biospos works as a co-organiser, -initiator and coordinator in various national and international research, development and professional associations. In the project, the hydrothermal carbonisation of carbon-rich precursors of biomass, such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, will be realised. In so doing, the focus will be on the upstream biorefining, which means that the nitrogen-rich connections and inorganics/minerals will be separated in order to provide further product developments. Mechanistic experiments will be conducted and the products will be tested with modern chemical analytics.