Doctoral Thesis Award to Dr. Daniel Langerreiter

Dr. Daniel Langerreiter was awarded the Doctoral Thesis Award by the School of Chemical Engineering at Aalto University for his thesis titled "Synthesis of Cellulose-Based Self-Sterilizing Materials via Solid-State Reactions." His work addresses the significant global health threat posed by antimicrobial resistance.

Dean Kristiina Kruus of the School of Chemical Engineering has awarded thesis prizes to Master of Science in Technology graduates and doctors who graduated in 2024. The criteria for evaluating doctoral thesis awards are academic quality, impact and novelty.

Dr. Langerreiter's thesis, defended in October 2024, focuses on innovative strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance, a major threat identified by the World Health Organization. He explored photodynamic inactivation (PDI) methods, demonstrating their efficiency against multiple organisms when activated by visible light. His research is significant for developing single-use antimicrobial materials, which are crucial in emergencies like natural disasters where power sources may be unavailable.

Using mechanochemistry, a method that reduces solvent usage, Dr. Langerreiter developed self-sterilizing hybrid materials by integrating photosensitizers into cellulose-based matrices. Additionally, he devised a fast, environmentally friendly modification method for cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), allowing efficient further reactions and reducing synthesis time and solvent usage. Dr. Langerreiter also introduced a solid-state synthesis method for phthalocyanines, enabling scalable production with minimal use of high-boiling point organic solvents.

Dr. Langerreiter’s thesis, which provides crucial insights into developing photoactive hybrid materials and new chemical pathways, can be accessed online at: https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-64-2033-2.

FinnCERES congratulates Dr. Daniel Langerreiter on his outstanding achievement!