R&D group Frankfurt/Germany
The Frankfurt-based R&D group is part of the central Chemetall research labs, where about 150 persons are working for the different Chemetall business units. They gain profit from a very well equipped central analytics (incl. NMR, IR, Raman, GC, GC/MS, GPC, different x-ray techniques, etc.) and central services (e.g. glass blower, work shop).
The research in Frankfurt is focussed on organometallics, hydrides, alkoxides, fine chemicals, and battery materials. It involves
- General product care and improvement (e.g. improvement of safety for existing products)
- Process optimization for existing products
- Development of products or syntheses for distinct customers
- Investigations regarding problems with products
- Development of new reagents and processes
- Safety and thermochemical measurements
- Preparation of samples for customers
The research labs maintain a close relationship to different universities and institutes. Diploma- and PhD-works have been funded at different locations. In the last four years 21 patent families have been filed.
The Frankfurt labs are equipped with very modern hardware. Beneath the necessary equipment for working with air-sensitive or even pyrophoric materials (glove boxes, inert gas manifolds, Schlenk technique, etc.), also specialized devices are available:
Lab calorimetry (RC-1 from Mettler-Toledo)
Radex-system (for carrying out DSC tests with a few ml of substance)
- Sedex system (DSC tests with up to 50 ml of substance)
- Autoclaves (200 ml a 5 l)
- IR-inline measuring device
- Kilo-Lab facilities (6 a 20 l)
- Electrochemical test stand (cyclovoltammetry, cycling tests, conductivity, etc.)
In the Kilo Lab facility samples in quantities up to about 10 l or 2 kg may be produced on customer´s demand. Larger quantities and the further scale-up work is carried out in the different pilot facilities of the main German plant in Langelsheim near Goslar or another installation of the global Chemetall company.
