From September 23 to 25, 2025, the international particle technology community will convene in Nuremberg for PARTEC 2025, one of the world’s leading scientific congresses in this field. As the companion congress to the trade fair POWTECH TECHNOPHARM, the international exhibition for process operations, the event is expected to attract about 500 participants from more than 25 countries, representing academia, industry, and research institutions.
With its strong international orientation, PARTEC fosters dialogue between research and industrial application. The congress is known for its interdisciplinary approach, bringing together experts from engineering, materials science, chemistry, and data science. Under the theme “Particles Empowering Tomorrow: Innovations for Our Global World,” PARTEC 2025 will present a forward-looking programme with over 400 contributions across 30 thematic sessions, addressing both current challenges and visionary developments in particle technology. Exciting highlights are the presentations of various awards to young scientists in different fields. In addition, for the first time, the congress is providing the VDI Association of Process and Chemical Engineering (VDI-GVC) – its honorary sponsor – with a platform for two of its competitions for young talent: chemPLANT, which calls for theoretical knowledge and practical applications in processing engineering, and ChemCar, a race between model cars powered by a (bio)chemical reaction – held at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM. Official sponsors of PARTEC 2025 are Sympatec, Bettersize und evonik.
Scientific Highlights and Key Topics
“Today, particles are the building blocks of traditional industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals and minerals and also driving forces in the substantial sector of energy transition technologies, including hydrogen and energy harvesting and storage as well as advanced production methods such as powder and spray-based materials processes. In this ever-evolving landscape of particle technology, we combine innovation and global impact” says Lutz Mädler, Chairman of PARTEC 2025. “Our focus extends beyond traditional realms to encompass both established and emerging research and applications in particle technology.”
The congress will feature a wide range of plenary lectures, keynote presentations, and technical sessions, covering topics such as:
Plenary lectures
- Stefan Pirker, Johannes Kepler University, AUT: “Particulate Flow
Modelling through Space and Time” - Cordelia Selomulya, UNSW Sydney, AUS: “Harnessing Plant Proteins: From Microencapsulation to Emulsion Gels”
- Heike Mühlenweg, Evonik Operations GmbH, DEU: „The Art of Engineered Particles”
- Alexandra Teleki, Uppsala, SWE: “Pharmaceutical Manufacturing of Functional Nanoparticles”
- Arno Kwade, Technical University of Braunschweig, DEU: “Powder Technology as Key for Sustainable Battery Electrode Production”
Keynotes
- Mikio Sakai, Tokyo University, JPN: “Bridging DEM Simulations and Data Science: New Frontiers in Industrial Powder Processing”
- Satoshi Watanabe, Kyoto University, JPN: “Room-temperature Aqueous Synthesis of Pd-Ru Alloy Nanoparticles Using Microreactor”
- Hermann Nirschl, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, DEU: “Autonomous Processes in Particle Technology”
- Riina Salmimies, University of Sheffield, GBR: “Particle properties and Fine Filtration – the Gaps between Science and Practise”
- Cecile Tessier, SAFT Bordeaux, FRA: “Particle Based Challenges in Li-Ion Battery Electrode Production”
- Hans Kuipers, Technical University of Eindhoven, NLD: “Multi-scale Modelling of Dense Gas-particle Flows with Wet Particle-particle Interactions”
- Sabrina Zellmer, Fraunhofer IST, Braunschweig, DEU: „Innovative Analytical Methods for the Production of Batteries and Fuel Cells”
- Sara E. Skrabalak, Indiana University Bloomington, USA: “Colloidal and Aerosol Routes to Shape- and Compositionally Defined Nanoparticles”
- Bruno Blais, Polytechnique Montreal, CAN: “Towards High-Order CFD-DEM for Dense Particle-Laden Flows in Chemical Processes”
- Rachel Smith, University of Sheffield, GBR: “Spherical Agglomeration: Mechanistic Understanding for Process Design”
Details on the programme and an opportunity to register can be found at www.partec.info. The congress will be held in English and take place at the Nuremberg Convention Centre East (NCC Ost).
Promoting the Next Generation of Engineers
A key focus of PARTEC 2025 is the promotion of young scientific talent. Vivien Manning, Managing Director of VDI-GVC: “Personally, I am particularly passionate about promoting young talent. We need committed, motivated young people who are enthusiastic about technology in process engineering – both in industry and at universities.” For this reason, there will be an award ceremony for the best poster. In addition to the Friedrich Löffler Prize and the Excellence Award in Mechanics of Particulate Solids from the European Federation of Chemical Engineering, the congress will host the final round of the VDI ChemPLANT Competition on Thursday. In this unique format, the top three student teams will pitch their innovative plant concepts live in front of the full PARTEC plenary. The competition fosters creativity, teamwork, and practical thinking among future engineers and is a highlight of the congress’s commitment to education and innovation.
Synergies with POWTECH TECHNOPHARM
Held in parallel with POWTECH TECHNOPHARM, the international trade fair for processing technology, PARTEC offers a unique opportunity to experience scientific insights and industrial solutions in one place. Marianny Eisenhofer, Director POWTECH TECHNOPHARM, and Verena Albrecht, Project Manager PARTEC, emphasise in unison: “We are very pleased that PARTEC and POWTECH TECHOPHARM will be able to complement each other once again in 2025. This results in immeasurable added value for participants: scientific findings and industrial solutions can be experienced and discussed in one place and at the same time. It‘s easy to think outside the box: The ticket for PARTEC is also valid for a visit to POWTECH TECHNOPHARM.” Themed tours of the trade fair will be offered for PARTEC delegates on the last day of the Congress.
