Mali receives certification as holder of the prestigious TMS Starting Grant

Home Important! Mali receives certification as holder of the prestigious TMS Starting Grant

TMS Starting Grant. Foto: Eivind Senneset, UiB

On the 1st of August 2022, Mali’s TMS Starting grant project, Recyclable Catalysts for Sustainable Polymers from CO₂ and Bio-based Epoxides (ReCat4Polymer), officially started. On Friday the 23rd of September she officially received her TMS badge from the Trond Mohn Foundation. The event was the TMS alumni night at Tårnsalen at the University Museum. Our rector Margareth Hagen was also present to celebrate the three new grant holders, Mali from Chemistry, Suzette Flantua at the Department of Biological Sciences and Carina Strell at the Centre for Cancer Biomarkers (CCBIO).

The aim of the generous funds from the Trond Mohn Foundation and the University of Bergen is to build up a research group to study recyclable catalysts for the production of sustainable plastics, where CO₂ will be used as one of the raw materials.

TMS Starting Grant. Foto: Eivind Senneset, UiB

Mali will develop efficient and fully recyclable catalysts for the sustainable production of modern materials without the use of fossil raw materials. The project focuses specifically on the development of recyclable catalysts for the production of sustainable polymers, where CO₂ and bio-based epoxides will be used as raw materials. This will be an important contribution to the UN’s 12th sustainability goal; «Responsible consumption and production». The key to obtaining suitable and recyclable catalysts lies in introducing polyoxometalates (POMs). POMs are a special class of inorganic compounds that is one of Mali’s specialties from her PhD at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. PhD student Leah Kristen Rai is already in place at the institute.