Review of the 2nd Saxon Student Conference on the topic of "Circular Economy"

On October 9, 2024, the 2nd Saxon Student Conference on "Circular Economy" took place as part of the 56th Power Plant Technology Colloquium in Dresden. Under the patronage of the Saxon State Minister for Science, Culture and Tourism, Sebastian Gemkow, students from all over Saxony gathered to present their scientific work on the circular economy.

The conference was opened by Erich Fritz, Chairman of the Board of IKS e.V., followed by a welcome address from Prof. Dr.-Ing. Michael Beckmann (TU Dresden), who emphasized the importance of the circular economy for the Free State of Saxony and the future of resource use. The program then began, offering exciting insights into current research topics and flanked by an accompanying poster exhibition.

The presentations on the circular economy

The students presented a variety of approaches and innovative solutions to tackle the current challenges of the circular economy. Dorothée Hannak (TU Bergakademie Freiberg) presented her work on the chemical recycling of polycarbonate blends using pyrolysis - a method that aims to recycle complex plastic materials. Alexander Adamczyk (TU Bergakademie Freiberg) researched the corrosion behavior of carbon-free anodes based on MgO recyclate in cryolite melts, an important aspect in sustainable metal production.

Faiz Hazim Bin Noor Mohd (Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences) shed light on an important step towards improving plastics sorting by investigating the sensor-assisted sorting of black plastic fractions. Willi Nitschke (TU Dresden) focused on balancing in the production of wood-based materials and highlighted specific optimization potential in the production process. Elisa Naumann (TU Dresden) also contributed to increasing efficiency in raw material extraction with her research by analyzing two-phase flows in microfluid channels for extracting rare earths.

The sustainable use of biomass was the focus of Silas Ehrlich's (TU Dresden) research, who presented the digestion of microalgae as a potential CO₂-binding approach. Elsa Franz (Riesa University of Cooperative Education) presented a study on increasing energy efficiency in a hospital complex, highlighting ecological and economic factors. Finally, Ludwig Blenau (TU Bergakademie Freiberg) presented his research into the recycling of copper slag, in which he investigated innovative uses for metals and glass fibers through the use of sustainable reducing agents.

The poster exhibition on the circular economy

Parallel to the presentations, a poster exhibition was held, which further emphasized the thematic diversity of the conference and offered additional perspectives on the circular economy. Maximilian Otte (Riesa University of Cooperative Education) presented a comparison of heating system conversion options in a sewer network base of the Dresden municipal drainage system. His work examined various heating technologies that could contribute to increasing energy efficiency in the municipal infrastructure. Christopher Köster (Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences) focused on fiber extraction from flax, analyzing the influence of different storage methods on the microbial pulping process and fiber quality - a valuable contribution to promoting more sustainable textile production.

Daniel Reyes Martinez (TU Bergakademie Freiberg) also presented a forward-looking topic: he presented research work on the recycling of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which will serve as the basis for a planned pilot plant in Greece. Nico Stolzenburg (Berufsakademie Riesa) contributed to safety in nuclear decommissioning by presenting the development and construction of a drum grab designed for the safe and efficient handling of radioactive waste.

Robin Götzelt (TU Dresden) carried out interferometric studies on film stability, analyzing the influence of surfactants and algae - research that can contribute to the optimization of processes in the chemical and biological industries.

Young researchers paving the way for a sustainable future

The 2nd Saxon Student Conference and the accompanying poster exhibition offered the participating students a valuable platform to present their work and exchange ideas with experts and like-minded people. The diverse topics and projects impressively demonstrated the commitment of students from Saxon universities to developing innovative solutions for sustainable resource management and advancing the circular economy in various industries. The conference facilitated inspiring discussions and networked young scientists from Saxony in their joint efforts to actively shape the circular economy and a more sustainable future.

The IKS e.V. would like to thank all participants and supporters as well as the sponsors, without whom this event would not have been possible: PreZero Pyral GmbH, Befesa Zinc Freiberg GmbH, Gelsenwasser, TubeTec Rohrverformungstechnik GmbH and, of course, the State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism.