Schubert Group

04/03/2026

🧪✨ New Publication in RSC Applied Polymers!

A team of COIN members has published a new study in RSC Applied Polymers, presenting an innovative strategy for the design of tuneable and biocompatible copolymers with potential biomedical applications.

Using a versatile chemical platform, the researchers achieved precise control over copolymer properties. By modifying pentafluorophenyl acrylate copolymers with the naturally occurring amino acid L-norvaline, they developed a library of anionic copolymers with systematically adjusted amphiphilic balance.

This modular approach opens new possibilities for the tailored design of functional polymer materials in biomedical research.

Read the full article here:

Based on their high cytocompatibility and unique interactions with biological matter, polyanions are attracting increasing research interest. The hydrophilicity–hydrophobicity ratio of these substances exerts a significant influence on their applicability as delivery systems, i.e., for particle fo...

02/03/2026

“Solar Battery” Delivers hydrogen from solar energy at the push of a button - Copolymer enables time-flexible energy use

Green hydrogen is a key pillar of the energy transition. Researchers from Ulm and Jena have now developed a redox-active, water-soluble copolymer that can store solar energy for several days and release it “at the push of a button” as hydrogen — even in the dark.

The system combines polymer chemistry and photocatalysis, achieving >80% charging efficiency and 72% hydrogen release efficiency. A simple pH switch enables multiple charge–discharge cycles, making the process reversible, scalable, and highly promising for industrial applications such as climate-neutral steel production.

The study was conducted within the Collaborative Research Center TRR/SFB 234 “CataLight” and highlights new pathways for cost-effective solar energy storage technologies.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://www.uni-ulm.de/nawi/naturwissenschaften/nawi-detailseiten/news-detail/article/copolymer-macht-zeitlich-flexible-energienutzung-moeglich/

27/02/2026

🚀 We’re hiring!

Student Assistant & Internship Positions in Applied Polymer Chemistry

We are hiring HiWi students and interns to work on high-performance bio-based phthalonitrile resins for electronics, aerospace, and energy sectors, in collaboration with ALTANA AG.

✔ Hands-on synthesis and materials characterization
✔ Own mini-research project with supervision
✔ Opportunity for a Master’s thesis + industry-supported scholarship

Interested? Send your CV and short motivation letter to boris.bulgakov@uni-jena.de.

Further information can be found on our website: https://shorturl.at/vsBHm

📅 Apply online by 01.04.2026!

16/02/2026

🔬 New Publication in Nature Communications

We are proud to share that researchers from HIPOLE Jena, in collaboration with partners from the DFG Collaborative Research Center TRR 234 CataLight, have published their latest findings in Nature Communications.

The full article can be found here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-68342-2

The study presents a recyclable polymer system that stores solar energy and releases it as hydrogen on demand, offering an efficient and sustainable route for renewable energy storage and fuel generation.

06/02/2026

🎥 Live Lecture | Voices for Climate

On 19 January 2026, Prof. Dr. Sebastian Seiffert and Prof. Dr. Ulrich S. Schubert delivered a joint live lecture as part of the YouTube series Voices for Climate, addressing the climate crisis from a chemical perspective.

The lecture explored the transformation towards climate neutrality across multiple dimensions — technical, economic, political, societal, and individual — combining scientific insights with personal reflections on responsibility and change.

The livestream was broadcast on the YouTube channel of OKTV Mainz.

Um was geht es?Transformation in Richtung Klimaneutralität hat mehrere Ebenen: technische, wirtschaftliche, politische, gesellschaftliche, individuelle. Dies...

16/01/2026

Voices for Climate – Live Stream

Transformation towards climate neutrality operates on multiple levels: technical, economic, political, societal, and individual. This live stream addresses all of these dimensions.

Starting from a technical — in this case, chemical — perspective, Prof. Dr. Sebastian Seiffert and Prof. Dr. Ulrich S. Schubert also reflect on their own personal transformations and what they imply in the context of the climate crisis.

📅 19 January 2026
⏰ 18:15 (CET)
🎥 Live stream:

Um was geht es?Transformation in Richtung Klimaneutralität hat mehrere Ebenen: technische, wirtschaftliche, politische, gesellschaftliche, individuelle. Dies...

22/12/2025

📢 The Schubert Group Quarterly Newsletter (Q4, December 2025) is here!

Discover the latest on:
✨ 15 Years of JCSM
✨ RTG “COIN” Kick-off
✨ MINT Festival Jena
✨ Publication of the Month
✨ Inside the Lab: Size Exclusion Chromatography

🔗 Newsletter: https://shorturl.at/6J56B

Curious about what we’ve been up to? Take a look! 🌟

17/12/2025

🎄 Christmas Gathering – December 17, 2025 🎄

On December 17, we gathered to celebrate the holiday season and mark the end of a successful year. In a warm and cheerful atmosphere, everyone enjoyed mulled wine, delicious Christmas pastries, and friendly conversations.

The gathering provided a wonderful opportunity to relax, share memories, and reflect on the highlights of the year together. Moments like these highlight the importance of community and appreciation — a perfect way to close the year and look forward to new beginnings in 2026. ✨

18/11/2025

15 Years of JCSM! 🎉

With a celebratory event at the Center for Applied Research (ZAF), Friedrich Schiller University Jena commemorated the 15th anniversary of the Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM) on November 17, 2025. More than 120 guests and members gathered to celebrate the center's development and to discuss prospects for soft matter research in Jena.

In his welcoming address, Dr. Bernd Uwe Althaus, State Secretary in the Thuringian Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, emphasized the "outstanding importance of the JCSM for science, innovation, and knowledge transfer in Jena and Thuringia."

While university President Prof. Dr. Andreas Marx highlighted the role of the JCSM in the University of Jena's current application for funding under the Excellence Universities program, Prof. Dr. Michael Bauer, from Uniklinikum Jena, emphasized the role of of interdisciplinary collaborations by using SFB 1278 Polytarget as an example.

Another example of successful collaboration was presented by Prof. Dr. Holger Ruckdäschel (University of Bayreuth) and Prof. Dr. Stefan Leible (President of Unversity of Bayreuth).

Moreover, the transfer strength of the JCSM was demonstrated by three startups in a pitch format: SmartDyeLivery GmbH, Polytives GmbH, and NGP Polymers GmbH.

Following the poster session and discussions, Prof. Dr. Rainer Haag (Free University of Berlin) delivered a keynote address offering insights into interdisciplinary polymer research in Berlin.

The celebratory event concluded with further discussions, a continuation of the poster session, and guided tours, underscoring the vibrant, interconnected research landscape that has shaped the JCSM over the past 15 years.

Special thanks to the Free State of Thuringia and the Carl Zeiss Foundation for the great support at enabled the developments!

29/10/2025

Creating an Open and Interactive RAFT Polymerisation Kinetics Database

We present an experimental RAFT polymerization database which is freely available at www.raft-knowledgebase.de. The dataset consists of over 500 kinetical experiments, performed with an automated parallel synthesizer and the parameter space spans 16 different monomers, three solvents and 7 RAFT agents.

The dataset is intended to lay a starting point to examine which combination of reactants is promising under the selected experimental conditions.

Publication link: https://doi.org/10.1039/d5dd00177c

02/10/2025

🌐 Scroll down for the English version! 🌐

📢 Einladung: 15 Jahre JCSM

Am 17. November 2025 feiert das Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM) an der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena sein 15-jähriges Bestehen.

Freuen Sie sich auf Grußworte hochrangiger Gäste, eine Keynote Lecture von Prof. Dr. Rainer Haag, Postersessions und Laborführungen.

📍 Ort: Zentrum für Angewandte Forschung (ZAF), Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena
🕑 Zeit: 14:00–18:00 Uhr

🔗 Verbindliche Anmeldung bis 20. Oktober 2025 erforderlich: jcsm.uni-jena.de/anmeldung-jubilaeum

Feiern Sie mit uns 15 Jahre Spitzenforschung in der Soft-Matter-Wissenschaft!

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📢 Invitation: 15 Years of JCSM

On November 17, 2025, the Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM) at Friedrich Schiller University Jena will celebrate its 15th anniversary.

The program features greetings from distinguished guests, a keynote lecture by Prof. Dr. Rainer Haag, poster sessions, and guided lab tours.

📍 Venue: Zentrum für Angewandte Forschung (ZAF), Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena
🕑 Time: 2:00–6:00 p.m.

🔗 Mandatory registration by October 20, 2025: jcsm.uni-jena.de/anmeldung-jubilaeum

Join us in celebrating 15 years of pioneering research in soft matter science!

30/09/2025

📢 The Schubert Group Quarterly Newsletter (Q3, September 2025) is now available!

This issue highlights some of our moments from the past months:
✨ Special Group Seminar 2025
✨ Visit of Minister Christian Tischner
✨ Hans & Marlies Zimmer International Scholar Award for Prof. Schubert
✨ Publication of the Month
✨ Social Media Insights and more

Dive into the full newsletter to discover all updates, stories, and achievements from our group.

👉 Read the full newsletter here: https://shorturl.at/VlFrq