Direct mechanocatalysis is a novel concept of catalysis neither utilizing light, thermal heating nor an electric potential, but simply mechanical energy.

Our Mission

In this mechanochemical approach, mechanical energy is provided by the collision of milling balls inside a ball mill. The catalyst is neither dissolved (as in homogenous catalysis), nor a powder or bed of shaped bodies (as in heterogeneous catalysis), but the milling ball itself. In the absence of any solvent, solid reactants can be brought into reactions mechanocatalytically - only using milling balls that refresh their catalytically active surface constantly during their continuous collisions.

Direct mechanocatalysis may involve reactants that can hardly be brought into reaction via conventional approaches because of low solubility or limited stability in solution. It is highly sustainable as it makes the use of any solvent obsolete and allows for an exceptionally facile catalyst separation after synthesis; simply taking the milling ball out of the vessel.