August 25, 2015

Henkel presents "Laundry & Home Care Research Award"
Award for Outstanding Research
Henkel today presented its "Laundry & Home Care Research Award 2015" to Dr. Leonardo Chiappisi for his outstanding research work at the Technical University of Berlin. The award also carries a prize of 3,000 euros. In his thesis Dr. Chiappisi developed groundbreaking insights into the synergy between biopolymers and surfactants that could find applications in resource-conserving detergents and cleaning products of the future. 
The Laundry & Home Care business unit is presenting the award this year for the sixth time. "As a research-based company we feel it is extremely important to encourage the next generation of scientists", says Professor Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum, Head of Global Research and Development at the Laundry & Home Care business unit. "Scientific excellence is the basis for technical innovation. The work of Dr. Chiappisi has shown that there are synergies between chitosan and surfactants, and also which aspects need to be taken into consideration when combining these types of biopolymer with surfactants in detergents. His findings form an important basis for the further development of resource-conserving detergents with improved functional properties." 

Chitin and cellulose are two naturally occurring chemical building blocks. Whereas cellulose is widely used in paper and cotton and cellulose-based functional polymers are already employed in detergents, chitin is less well-known. In his research the 28-year-old scientist showed that chitosan – a chitin derivative – also has potential for use in washing processes. 

At the award ceremony Dr. Chiappisi presented the results of his research to representatives of Henkel's Research and Development unit and to the Laundry & Home Care Technology Advisory Board – a committee of leading scientists from disciplines relevant to the development of detergents and cleaning products. Henkel works with these scientists, particularly in the research and analysis of trends.

Henkel operates worldwide with leading brands and technologies in three business units: Laundry & Home Care, Beauty Care and Adhesive Technologies. Founded in 1876, Henkel holds globally leading market positions, both in the consumer and in the industrial businesses, with well-known brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Loctite. Henkel employs about 50,000 people and reported sales of 16.4 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of 2.6 billion euros in fiscal 2014. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX.

Photo material is available at http://www.henkel.com/press 

Contact	Hanna Philipps	Rabea Möllers
Phone	+49 211 797 3626	+49 211 797 6976
Fax	+49 211 798 4040	+49 211 798 4040
E-mail	hanna.philipps@henkel.com	rabea.moellers@henkel.com

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