123Fab #101

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

Catalysts are substances that increase the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process. They are the unsung heroes of the industrial world and have become indispensable in a wide range of industries: chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, automotive, etc. One of the best-known applications is the catalytic converter in motor vehicles, which transforms toxic gases into less harmful pollutants.

Today, they play an important role in decarbonization, with a wide range of applications, including the following:

• Production of renewable fuels: Catalysts enable the conversion of renewable raw materials, such as vegetable oils or organic waste, into sustainable fuels such as biodiesel or bioethanol.
• Green hydrogen: Catalysts are at the heart of green hydrogen production through water electrolysis. Until today, the most applied catalysts in the production of green hydrogen are noble metals such as platinum and iridium, but research is in process to find cheaper and more sustainable alternatives
• Biomass conversion: Biomass can be valorized into useful chemicals and fuels via catalysts, hence reducing further the dependance on fossil feedstock and lowering the carbon footprint of the chemical industry.
• Plastic recycling: Catalysts play an important role in chemical plastic recycling. They offer a way for the depolymerization of the polymer into its basic monomers, which can then be reused to manufacture new plastics. A good example is the enzymatic process for the recycling of PET developed by the French company Carbios.
• CO₂ conversion and utilization: Advanced catalytic processes are being developed to convert CO₂ into valuable products like fuels, polymers, and chemicals. These innovative reactions could turn carbon emissions into a raw material, and then close the carbon use loop.

However, while catalysts provide considerable environmental benefits in use, many have resource-intensive and polluting manufacturing processes. As an example, mining and processing precious metals, widely used in catalytic converters, like platinum or palladium, are often associated with ecological damage, including habitat destruction and water contamination. It is therefore crucial to find and develop new, more sustainable alternatives.

Emergence of new catalysts with lower environmental impact

To meet sustainability requirements, companies in the chemical industry are actively seeking catalytic solutions with lower environmental impact. For instance, BASF has established a Catalysts Innovations Platform dedicated to identifying more sustainable catalysts. In this context, various approaches and types of catalysts are emerging, each offering specific advantages to help achieve the industry’s sustainability goals:

• Biocatalysts, sometimes referred to as “nature’s catalysts “or enzymes are intrinsically sustainable. Their use allows to produce organic molecules in a milder manner compared to traditional chemical methods. For instance, Novozymes offers biocatalysts for biofuel production. Additionally, Solvay utilizes biocatalysts in the manufacturing of some of its polymers.
• Nanocatalysts offer several benefits compared to their traditional counterparts: the nanometric dimension offers a much better structure-performance ratio, which increases their catalytic activity and selectivity, and reduces energy consumption and the cost of chemical processes. Gen-Hy is a start-up developing catalysts based on nickel nanoparticles.
• Catalysts with abundant metals: Research is moving towards the use of more abundant and less expensive metals, such as iron, to replace precious metals like platinum. Gen-Hy, for instance, develops high-performance catalysts based on nickel nanoparticles, an abundant and inexpensive metal, to replace platinum and iridium in certain applications.
• Photocatalysts are catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions by absorbing light. This technique can be applied in interesting ways in the context of energy transition, particularly for the chemical trapping of CO₂. Researchers from the Institut lumière matière in Lyon and the Institut des sciences chimiques de Rennes are working on molybdenum aggregates, an abundant and inexpensive metal, as an alternative to noble metal-based photocatalysts.
• Ecocatalysts are quite new in sustainable chemistry. They are derived from plants that have naturally accumulated metals present in their environment during the phytoremediation process. Bioinspir has developed, for instance, ecocatalysts derived from plants for the responsible synthesis of cosmetic and perfumery ingredients.

2 Key Figures

6%

The chemical sector is responsible for approximately 6% of global CO2-equivalent emissions

$22.30 billion

The global industrial catalyst market size was nearly $22.30 billion in 2023

3 startups to draw inspiration from

Gen-Hy

A French start-up specializing in green hydrogen production has developed high-performance catalysts free of noble metals. Using an innovative formulation based on nickel nanoparticles—an abundant and affordable metal—it offers a new path toward more sustainable and cost-effective hydrogen production.

Entalpic

Founded in 2024, Entalpic is a French startup at the forefront of generative AI technology for the chemical industry. The company’s advanced AI platform designs catalysts to optimize chemical processes in areas like energy storage, fertilizer production, and pollution control, blending open and proprietary research.

Cascade Biocatalysts

Denver-based startup Cascade, specializing in enzyme-based processes, uses its Body Armor for Enzymes™ technology to drive greener, cost-effective chemical reactions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Its projects encompass diverse areas, including CO₂ capture, fragrance production, and wastewater treatment, highlighting the broad commercial potential of biocatalysts.

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