"Curiosity is what drives me" 

If you had to explain to someone on a bus what you work on, how would you begin?

Plajer: I would tap the seat and say: the shell of this seat is made of plastic. Plastics consist of long chains of atoms that become entangled and give the material stability. Normally, these chains are made primarily of carbon and hydrogen. We, by contrast, incorporate unusual types of atoms — elements that are rarely found in plastics.

Why do you do that?

Plajer: Pure curiosity is what drives me. I did my doctorate in a very fundamental area of research. What can we find in nature? What can we make at all? If you are not fixated on a particular application, that can really help creativity.

So is trial and error part of your everyday work?

Plajer: Absolutely! This morning, while I was sitting in the waiting room at the orthopaedist’s, I had an idea and immediately messaged my students about it. The idea actually worked really well. Quite often, something completely different from what we expected happens — and that is exactly what moves us forward.

Which elements are you currently working with?

Plajer: A great many. At first, we worked a lot with sulphur, then fluorine. Now we are working with selenium, phosphorus and zinc. The periodic table is large. Next, we want to incorporate gold. There are only a very small number of groups worldwide producing metal-containing polymers.

You received an ERC Starting Grant. What was the core idea behind your proposal?

Plajer: I said: I want to create a class of plastics that does not yet exist — not even anything similar to it. If we succeed, I expect these materials to have extraordinary properties. The panel evidently considers that realistic. But the fundamental motivation remains the same: to create an entirely new class of matter.

How application-oriented does research need to be for funding bodies?

Plajer: It varies greatly. Some funders want to see a clear societal benefit — for example, in our project on recycling textile fibres. Others fund pure fundamental research without any immediate application in mind. Both approaches are legitimate.

How much bureaucracy is involved in a major project like this?

Plajer: Quite a lot! Bureaucracy is not much fun, but unfortunately it is part of the job.

Why is the idea of building plastics from chains containing metals so revolutionary?

Plajer: Because it has hardly been done at all. Metallopolymers are an almost untouched field of research. Reinventing the wheel is difficult — but here, the landscape is still extremely open.

What motivates you personally?

Plajer: Curiosity. I want to be creative and understand what is possible.

How important is your team to you?

Plajer: Nothing works without my team. Research is teamwork. We do the chemistry in the lab, while others carry out measurements or modelling. Interdisciplinary work is enjoyable, and it moves us forward.

Are there projects in which you have failed?

Plajer: All the time! “Failure” usually just means that something different from what we expected happens. And that “something different” is often the starting point for new projects.

Aren’t the processes extremely complicated?

Plajer: For us, a lot of it is routine, but you grow into it over time. That is one reason why studying through to a doctorate takes a little longer.

How far along is your current project?

Plajer: It is progressing. I have a specific target molecule in mind: a chirally twisted metallopolymer. If we manage to make it, that would be fantastic. And if we do not, we will still discover plenty of interesting things along the way.

How closely do you work with industry?

Plajer: In polymer chemistry, there is generally a great deal of collaboration with industry. At the moment, however, industry is more cautious — collaborations are risky in economically uncertain times.

How do you get young people interested in chemistry?

Plajer: By showing them how important the subject is for the future of our society. We urgently need people who can help shape the green transition. Everything around us is chemistry. Who, if not chemists, is going to create the sustainable materials of the future?

How did you become interested in chemistry yourself?

Plajer: I was good at science subjects at school. My parents came from that field. And yes, I would definitely recommend that my own children study a natural science. Difficult challenges help you grow.

Do you fit the traditional image of a chemist?

Plajer: (laughs) No, definitely not. Unfortunately, professors no longer spend much time in the lab. We think, plan and organise. And we communicate.

In your video, you recommended that students talk to one another more. Why?

Plajer: Because too much of life taking place digitally is, fundamentally, unnatural. Social interaction is important. I use LinkedIn professionally, but hardly use social media at all in my private life.

What is one statement of yours that people should remember?

Plajer: That being able to do fundamental research is a real privilege. We are allowed to use taxpayers’ money to pursue our curiosity. At the same time, society should take scientific facts seriously — whether we are talking about climate change or the efficiency of internal combustion engines.