Green Chemistry

Peptoids, or N-substituted glycine polymers, are an important platform for the development of new materials for therapeutic, cryopreservation, and biosensing applications. The stepwise solid-phase synthesis of peptoids uses iterative acylation and displacement reactions to grow the peptoid chain but relies on hazardous solvents, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), which are used in large quantities for resin swelling, washing, and solubilizing the required chemical reagents.

Use of lignocellulosic biomass in continuous processes in biorefineries poses challenges due to its recalcitrant properties, feedstock variability, and materials handling of solids at large scale. Limitations include lignin derived inhibitors, and resistance to mixing due to rheological properties of lignocellulosic particulates at high solids loadings.

The challenge of plastic waste management has intensified globally due to the non-biodegradable nature and fossil-based origin of most plastics. This research presented explores a novel approach to plastic upcycling through ideal catalytic cracking, with a focus on greener reaction conditions, such as supercritical CO₂ (scCO₂) processing.

High levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have contributed negatively to climate change, global warming and ocean acidification. Therefore, here we provide a possible solution to help reduce these levels together with the production of CH4, a high-value chemical intended for energy purposes. The approach we utilize was invented by our group, making use of a metastable intermediate Hydrogen-bonded Metal-Organic Framework (HMOF) to synthesize, by dehydration, stable and functional phosphonate MOFs.

This work aims to study the degradation of commonly used pharmaceutical contaminants in Chile through the Heterogeneous Solar Photo-Fenton process, utilizing nanometric-sized spinel ferrites as catalysts. Specifically, manganese ferrites (MnFe₂O₄), copper ferrites (CuFe₂O₄), and cobalt ferrites (CoFe₂O₄) will be synthesized, along with graphene-supported ferrite composites. The size, chemical composition, and morphology of these nanomaterials will be characterized.

In medical imaging, nuclear safety, intelligence, and security applications, there is a high demand for room-temperature radiation detectors. A desirable radiation detection material must exhibit high sensitivity to radiation, high density, and a suitable band gap. Silver antimony sulfide (AgSbS₂) is an emerging ternary semiconductor material with potential applications in photovoltaics, optoelectronics, and radiation detection.

Perylene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), is characterized by its inherent rigidity, which imparts exceptional electronic and optical properties. This structural feature supports high fluorescence quantum yields, which are influenced by the nature of the substituents attached. Notably, substituents positioned in the bay or peri regions of the molecule significantly alter these properties, enabling fine-tuning of light emission across a broad spectrum of colors.

The low bioavailability of widely used drugs, such as metformin (MFH), makes it necessary to administer constant doses to achieve the desired therapeutic effect, which leads to an increase in adverse effects and toxicity. In addition, their disposal also causes an environmental impact on both the ecosystem and organisms [1,2]. The development of materials based on biocompatible polymers is one of the most promising alternatives to reduce the dosage of active ingredients. Besides, these materials can function as adsorbents of micropollutants in the wastewater treatment [3].

Alginates extracted from brown seaweed can be used to make bioproducts for a range of applications from single-use packaging to tissue engineering. To scale alginate production for widespread use, a focus on advancing sustainable extraction methods is needed. This study aimed to investigate greener extraction methods and the effect on alginate properties, to advance sustainable methods suitable for bioplastic applications. Three alginate extraction protocols were selected by evaluating the hazard levels of different alginate extraction methods, solvents and reagents.