Institute of Catalysis Research and Technology (IKFT)
The Institute of Catalysis Research and Technology was founded 2011. Its mission is to bridge the gap between fundamental and applied research and the development of new technologies and products in the field of catalysis and process technology of catalyzed processes. The focus of our work is the sustainable utilization of alternative feedstocks and their conversion into energy carriers intermediates. This includes the development of new catalytic systems based on a fundamental understanding of processes on a molecular level. The institute receives basic funding from the Helmholtz Association's program-oriented funding, largely in the Energy research field in the program Materials and Technologies for the Energy Transition.
An international group of junior researchers visited IKFT on 9th July 2025 as part of a scientific tour in the state of Baden-Württemberg (THE LÄND) following the Nobel Laureate Meetings in Lindau, Germany. This year’s edition of this famous meeting was dedicated to chemistry with a special focus on sustainability and circular chemistry. During the follow-up tour, the thematic focus was also placed on these urgent topics where catalytic technologies are a major driver.
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Asad Asadli won another Poster Prize, this time at the ICEC 2025 in Isola delle Femmine/Sicily, Italy. Congratulations!
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Asad Asadli won the Best Poster Award at the 58th international Annual Meeting of German Catalytic Scientists (Jahrestreffen Deutscher Katalytiker) in Weimar. Congratulations!
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On February 18, 2025, Dr. Matthias Betz successfully passed his doctoral examination and defended his thesis on the topic “Production of gasoline-like paraffins from ethylene”.
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For the third time in a row, task lead of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy Task 34 ‚Direct Thermochemical Liquefaction (DTL)‘ will remain at IKFT with Dr.-Ing. Axel Funke and Alex Böhm for the upcoming triennium 2025-2027. IEA Bioenergy Task 34 consists of representatives from research institutes and industry to advance commercial implementation of DTL technology. One key aspect of the upcoming work will be mobilization of diverse biogenic residues, a topic that has been fostered by IKFT for many years already. Additionally, cross cutting topics like negative CO2 emissions, flexible supply of energy, and synergies between hydrogen- and bio-based value chains are actively shaped within IEA Bioenergy.
With the laying of the cornerstone on November 20, 2024, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) celebrated the start of construction of a new research building for the Institute for Catalysis Research and Technology (IKFT) at KIT.
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