Radboud chemists are working with companies and robots on the transition from oil-based to bio-based materials - Robohub

Researchers at Radboud University are advancing the transition from fossil-based to bio-based chemical products—such as medicines, plastics, soaps, and paints—by leveraging robots and artificial intelligence to accelerate discovery and optimization. This transition is challenging because replacing fossil raw materials with bio-based alternatives must maintain product quality, which depends on understanding complex molecular interactions within mixtures rather than single molecules. Professor Wilhelm Huck highlights that chemical interactions are often non-additive and unpredictable, making it impossible to experimentally test all combinations given the vast number of potential ingredient mixtures. Within the Big Chemistry program funded by the National Growth Fund, three key projects focus on bio-based raw materials for paints, soaps, and polymers. Peter Korevaar is collaborating with Van Wijhe Verf to develop bio-based paints that meet stringent requirements like waterproofing, stability, and appropriate viscosity. Mathijs Mabesoone is working with Croda International on soaps, aiming to build a large database of measurements to train predictive models for soap mixture behaviors, which can differ