Freelancer profile translated to English.

Description

I am a PhD chemist (Dr. rer. nat., Universität Bielefeld, magna cum laude) specializing in closed-loop recycling of polyurethane foams and catalyst-free oxidation chemistry.

As co-founder of Breakomers – an EXIST-funded startup developing chemical recycling technology for flexible polyurethane foam – I have spent four years bridging fundamental research and industrial application, from laboratory synthesis to pilot-scale process development.

I support companies in the chemicals and plastics sector with technology assessment, feasibility studies, and the strategic framing of circular economy initiatives. Prior industry project experience includes collaborations with BYK-Chemie and Windmöller GmbH.

Available remotely and on-site across Germany and Europe. Starting from Q4 2026.

Industry field of expertise

Languages

German
Native or bilingual
Portuguese
Native or bilingual
English
Fluent
Dutch
Conversational

Workplace preferences

Can work on-site

Herford (up to 50km)

Breakomers
Co-founder
CHEMICAL
December 2025 - Today (6 months)
Bielefeld, Germany
EXIST Research Transfer
Closed-loop recycling of polyurethane flexible foams: molecular cleavage points enable complete decomposition into the starting building blocks under mild conditions — an alternative to the currently common incineration.
• Funding: Raised €1.5 million (EXIST Research Transfer) to finance a three-person founding team.
• Business Development: Achieved a key development milestone through the first customer cooperation for technology validation.
• Leadership: Operational management of the team and participation in technology development.
• Personnel: Responsibility for student assistants.
• Procurement: Responsibility for materials management and supplier selection.
• Communication: Creation of pitch decks and presentations, as well as building the online presence.
Chemical Recycling Polyurethane Process Development
Universität Bielefeld
Research Associate
CHEMICAL
April 2022 - December 2025 (3 years and 8 months)
Bielefeld, Germany
PhD project on the sustainable production of ε-caprolactone: Development of a selective, catalyst-free process for coupling two industrially relevant oxidation processes (aldehyde to carboxylic acid synthesis and Baeyer-Villiger oxidation) with raw material and energy savings under mild reaction conditions.
Research achievements: Development of a novel synthesis route with successful piloting on a 100 kg scale with an industrial partner; establishment of profound mechanistic and kinetic expertise on the underlying partial reactions; contribution to a patent application and publication of results in a peer-reviewed journal.
Collaborations: Cooperation with industry (BYK-Chemie) and RWTH Aachen within joint research projects.
Scale-up