Sustainable Chemistry
Exploring the Deacetylation of Chitin to Chitosan by Resonance Acoustic Mixing (RAM)
Chitin, the most abundant aminopolysaccharide, can be found in the exoskeleton of crustacean shells, a major waste product of the fishing industry. The water-soluble derivative of chitin, chitosan, acquired through a process of deacetylation affords derivatization and processability of this natural biopolymer. Traditionally, deacetylation processes utilizing harsh chemical conditions and high energy inputs limiting scalability and sustainable practices. Furthermore, these methods result in depolymerization, presenting low molecular weight fragments.
New Strategies to Capture and Use CO2 as a Sustainable Carbon Source in the Synthesis of Value-Added Compounds
This work focuses on the development of sustainable strategies for carbon capture and utilization (CCU), a key technology for mitigating global warming by using CO₂ as a renewable carbon source.
Here we explored the role of quaternary ammonium salts in enhancing CO₂ capture and activation with NaBH₄. The presence of these salts resulted in both shorter reaction times and improved efficiency.
Electrochemical Degradation of Nitrogen-Containing Polymers
The natural environment is facing several contaminants including hazardous metals, dyes, medicines, and plastics. In particular, plastics, one of the most sought-after synthetic materials, are widely used in a variety of applications, including electronics, building, and packaging, due to their ease of manufacture and low weight. One novel recycling method that has been introduced as a mild and sustainable technology for processing waste plastic is electrochemistry, particularly when driven by renewable energy sources.
Evaluating Recyclable Glass Material as a Substitute for Soil in Vegetable Cultivation: An Innovative Approach to Sustainable Agriculture
The sustainability of agricultural practices is increasingly critical amid environmental challenges. While effective, traditional soil-based agricultural methods often contribute to soil degradation and resource depletion. The earth’s topsoil has eroded by 50% during the last 150 years. In addition to this, soil has also been affected by agricultural practices. These effects include compaction, loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, and soil salinity [1].
Corrosion-Resistant Soybean Extract Containing Fluoropolymer Coatings
Fluoropolymers, notably poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PH), are rendered to be an excellent choice for superior performance coatings attributed to their exceptional mechanical robustness, thermal resistance, and resistance to chemical attack. However, their low surface energy results in poor adhesion to metal substrates, limiting their application in critical corrosion-resistant systems. To address this challenge, PH was hydroxyl-modified (PHOH) to introduce active functional groups that enhance bonding capabilities.
Enhancing Oxidation Stability of Amine-Containing CO2 Adsorbents Using Hydroxyethyl Starch
Amine-based adsorbents are widely used for CO2 capture. However, one of the biggest hurdles for their further development is their limited oxidation stability. Moreover, methods developed to improve the oxidation stability often lead to significant decrease in their CO2 (HES) on the CO2 uptake. Here, we investigated the effect of hydroxyethyl starch uptake and oxidation stability of impregnated polyethylenimine (PEI) adsorbents. Performance of HES-PEI co-impregnated materials was evaluated under different oxidation conditions using CO2 uptake measurements, and mass spectrometry.
Utilizing Silicon Chemistry: A Greener Approach for Achieving Regioselective Wittig Rearrangements and [1,2]-Carbon to Carbon Silyl Migration
The Wittig rearrangements ([2,3], [1,2] and [1,4]) are a pivotal synthetic strategy for forming carbon-carbon bonds. Despite extensive documentation of the [2,3]-Wittig, the questions related to the regioselective pathways of the [1,2] and [1,4]-Wittig rearrangements remain unanswered. Furthermore, it is unclear whether the [1,4]-Wittig occurs via a concerted or stepwise mechanism is unclear. The [1,4]-Wittig also has a limited substrate scope.
Green and Sustainable Solvents for Solid-Phase Peptoid Synthesis
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.
Identifying Chemistry Students’ Baseline Systems Thinking Skills when Constructing System Maps on Climate Change
Chemistry knowledge is essential in addressing solutions to complex global challenges such as achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. However, current teaching methods in chemistry often lack connections to global issues; without explicit practice and assessment, students cannot be expected to make these connections. Systems thinking (ST) has been proposed as part of an approach that aims to examine complex phenomena from a holistic perspective to prepare future scientists for the work needed to address these emerging global issues.