Sustainability
ACS Local Section Sustainability Programming Grant
Grant at a Glance
Amount: Up to $500
Deadline: February 21, 2025
Purpose
To promote opportunities that enhance the chemical community’s awareness of and the essential role of chemistry in responding to sustainability challenges.
Shoe Deconstruction Training Atlanta - Apply by February 3
Shoe Waste Atlanta and Black Sustainability, Inc. are accepting applications for their upcoming Shoe Deconstruction Training program! This four-month intensive program aims to educate and train the next generation of industry leaders on topics including material science, waste recovery, and circular economy.
WHERE: SW Atlanta
COST: $3,500
DURATION: 17 Weeks
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner to intermediate, no experience necessary!
Enhanced Degradation and Thermal Stability in Partially Lignin-Derived Polyacetals by Incorporating a Linear Structure
The development of biodegradable polymers derived from renewable resources has been motivated by the environmental impact of plastic waste. The objective of our research is to improve
the degradation rate of spiro-polyacetals by integrating linear acetal units into their structure while preserving their desirable thermomechanical properties. The polymer, VPA-CDVE, was produced by reacting vanillin-based spiro-acetal monomer (VPA) with cyclohexanedimethanol vinyl ether (CDVE). The polyacetal that resulted was characterized using NMR spectroscopy, which
Investigating Metal-Cation-Containing Materials for Efficient Phosphorus Capture and Recovery
Phosphorus (P) is a crucial, limited resource responsible for sustaining food supply globally. However, P-discharge from agricultural runoff and wastewater treatment plant into water bodies contributes to eutrophication and the proliferation of harmful algal blooms, substantially threatening aquatic ecosystems. Several studies have demonstrated that metal-cation-containing materials like metal oxides, hydroxides and carbonates show great potential for P-capture and are emerging as a noteworthy category suitable for commercial and industrial applications in P-recovery.
Study of the Interactions Between Microbial Communities and Clay Minerals in Contaminated Environments: Implications for Bioremediation Processes
The Reconquista River, the second most polluted river in Argentina, accumulates large amounts of organic matter and persistent toxic pollutants in its sediments. These conditions drive the selection of microorganisms with the potential to degrade contaminants and facilitate bioremediation. Notably, these microorganisms form biofilms on clay minerals, enabling them to survive under extreme conditions and alter the properties of the sediments.
Supercritical Fluid Impregnation of Polyolefins with Organometallic Complexes for Fundamental Investigations of Catalytic C-C Bond Cracking
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-Performance Conductive Nanocomposites Based on CNF/PLA Reinforced by Functionalized Graphene Derivative
This project aims to combine the Brazilian group’s expertise in nanomaterials’ surface engineering and polymer-based nanocomposite with the Spanish group’s expertise in transforming agricultural and industrial waste (which is abundant in both Spain and Brazil) into valued natural source polymers, to incorporate the intrinsic properties of sustainable materials into nanocomposites for advanced applications.