Werner Kunz (chemist)

Werner Kunz

Werner Kunz (born October 30, 1960 in Krummennaab , Bavaria) is a German chemist . He is head of the Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry at the University of Regensburg , head of the Carl von Carlowitz Center for Sustainable Chemistry there and co-founder and partner of SKH GmbH for Applied Chemistry.

Life

After studying chemistry (1980–1985) and subsequent doctorate with Josef Barthel (1985–1988) at the University of Regensburg, Kunz spent several years in France as a scientist at various research institutes (including the University of Pierre et Marie Curie , Paris, Laboratoire Léon Brillouin, Saclay) and completed his habilitation in 1992 at the Université Blaise Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand with a thesis on simulations and scatter measurements on complex salt solutions. Subsequently (1992–1997) he worked as a full professor for technical chemistry and process engineering at the Université de Technologie de Compiègne, where he temporarily held the office of dean . Since 1997 he has been a full professor (chair) for physical chemistry at the University of Regensburg.

research

Kunz mainly deals with complex solutions of salts, surfactants and polymers in water, organic solvents and ionic liquids and in particular with the spontaneous self-organization of liquid matter at the interface between solution and colloid chemistry. From the knowledge he has gained, he develops new processes and products in various industrial cooperations, for example in the field of cosmetics and cleaning agents. In addition to the application-oriented aspects, environmental chemistry and, more generally, questions of sustainability receive special attention in his research and teaching. Kunz is the author or co-author of almost 300 scientific publications, books and patents.

Functions

From 1997 to 2007 Kunz was the scientific co-editor of the Journal of Molecular Liquids . From 2008 to 2009 he was the dean of the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy at the University of Regensburg. Since 2012 he has been head of the Regensburg Carl von Carlowitz Center for Sustainable Chemistry. In 1999 he also founded the SKH GmbH, an affiliated institute of the University of Regensburg, together with the plant manufacturers Richard Scheuchl and Klaus Heckmann . a. engaged in the development of high-quality product formulations and building a bridge between research and application. Kunz is also a member of scientific advisory boards and supervisory boards of small and medium-sized companies.

Awards

2000: Admission as a corresponding member of the European Academy of Science and Arts (Paris, London)
2012: Rhodia Prize of the European Colloidal and Interface Society
2014: Gay-Lussac-Humboldt Prize from the French government
2019: Steinkopff Prize of the Colloid Society

selected Writings

with Pierandrea LoNostro and Barry W. Ninham: The Present State of Affairs with Hofmeister Effects, Current Opinion of Colloid and Interface Science 9 (1-2), 1-18 (2004).
with Stefan Thomaier: Ionic liquid aggregates in a continuous ionic liquid phase - A new class of colloidal systems , Journal of Molecular Liquids 130 (2007) 104-107.
with Nina Vlachy, Barbara Jagoda-Cwiklik, Robert Vácha, Didier Touraud, Pavel Jungwirth: Hofmeister series and specific interaction of charged headgroups with aqueous ions, Advances in Colloid and Surface Science 146 (2009) 42–47.
with Matthias Kellermeier: Beyond Biomineralization , Science 323 (2009) 344–345.
with Matthias Kellermeier, Emilio Melero-García, Fabian Glaab, Regina Klein, Markus Drechsler, Reinhard Rachel, Juan Manuel García-Ruiz: Stabilization of amorphous calcium carbonate in inorganic silica-rich environments , J. Am. Chem. Soc. 132 (50) (2010) 17859-17866.
with Fabian Glaab, Matthias Kellermeier, Emilia Morallon and JuanManuel García-Ruiz: Formation and Evolution of Chemical Gradients and Potential Differences Across Self Assembling Inorganic Membranes , Angewandte Chemie (Int. Ed.) 124 (2012) 4393–4397.
with Thomas Zemb, Michael Klossek, Tobias Lopian, Julien Marcus, Sebastian Schöttl, Dominik Horinek, Sylvain Prevost, Didier Touraud, Olivier Diat, Stjepan Marčelja: How to explain microemulsions formed by solvent mixtures without conventional surfactants , Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 113 (16) (2016) 4260-4265.
with Krister Holmberg and Thomas Zemb: Hydrotropes, Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science 22 (2016) 99–107.
with Katharina Häckl: Some aspects of green solvents , Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences (France) Chimie 21 (2018) 572-580.
with Damian Brock, Alexander Koder, Hans-Peter Rabl, Didier Touraud: New completely renewable biofuels: Formulations and engine tests on an unmodified up-to-date diesel engine , Green Chemistry 20 (2018) 3308–3317.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Kunz, Werner
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	German chemist
DATE OF BIRTH	October 30, 1960
PLACE OF BIRTH	Krummennaab , Bavaria