During his PhD studies, Clemens Kaussler researched transition metal-catalyzed reactions, both to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying mechanisms and towards their application in the synthesis of carbon capture materials. He studied selected nickel- and palladium-catalyzed reaction mechanisms experimentally and computationally. Insights acquired in these projects might be helpful for the design and optimization of novel catalytic processes. Furthermore, Clemens Kaussler investigated the catalytic hydrogenation of various plastics such as polyacrylonitriles or polyamides. The obtained research findings provide an exemplary approach of how to upcycle nitrogen-containing consumer polymers towards amine-based CO₂ sorbents with potential use in carbon capture from flue gasses.

The PhD study was completed at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and the Novo Nordisk Foundation CO₂ Research Center (CORC), Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Date: Friday, 05 September 2025, 13:15
Place: 1514-213, Aud. 1, Department of Chemistry
Title of PhD thesis: Advances in Mechanistic Understanding of Transition Metal-Catalyzed Reactions and CO₂ Sorbent Synthesis from Nitrogen-Rich Waste Polymers
Contact information: Clemens Kaussler, e-mail: ck@inano.au.dk, tel.: +49 172 159 21 90
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Jieping Zhu, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland
Associate Professor Jiwoong Lee, Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Professor Alexander Zelikin (chair), Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor:
Professor Troels Skrydstrup, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and Novo Nordisk Foundation CO₂ Research Center (CORC), Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defense is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS,
Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C