The production of high-performance materials poses significant challenges for sustainability. These include the generation of toxic chemicals and waste, and a high demand for solvents. Furthermore, high temperatures and pressures are required, leading to high energy consumption. MechSyn, a spin-off from the MPI for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr, overcomes this problem by using special ball mills in which the materials introduced are subjected to mechanical forces, thereby triggering chemical reactions without the use of solvents or increases in temperature and pressure. This results in a significant increase in efficiency compared to conventional methods. The purely electrically powered mechanochemical process enables the synthesis of new materials with improved properties, such as a larger surface area, greater stability or a longer service life.
