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January 4, 2016 | Environmental Leader
Driven largely by increasing concerns, government support for environmentally responsible sources and processes, and technological innovations, market participants see the need to shift focus from petrochemical feedstock to renewable feedstock.
Renewable Fuels from Algae Boosted by NREL Refinery Process
February 9, 2016 | Environmental Expert
A new biorefinery process developed by scientists at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has proven to be significantly more effective at producing ethanol from algae than previous research.
Sustainable Chemistry: Putting carbon dioxide to work
March 9, 2016 | Nature
Carbon dioxide is an abundant resource, but difficult for industry to use effectively. A simple reaction might allow it to be used to make commercial products more sustainably than with current processes.
Researchers Seek Ways to Extract Rare Earth Minerals from Coal
March 15, 2016 | Phys.org
With supplies growing scarce of essential materials needed to make products ranging from smart phones to windmills, Virginia Tech researchers are working with academic and industry partners in a $1 million pilot project to recover rare earth elements from coal.
March 28, 2016 | Phys.org
Chemists at The University of Texas at Arlington have devised a safer, more environmentally friendly, less expensive and more efficient water-based system for the synthesis of organic compounds typically used in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, cosmetics, plastics, textiles and household chemicals.
Edible film: The future of eco-friendly packaging?
April 4, 2016 | DW
Food packaging is a major source of plastic waste. Developing wrapping that is edible could help - not just the environment, but maybe even taste, too. A scientist at a green chemistry conference in Berlin tells DW how.
The Future of Low-Cost Solar Cells
May 2, 2016 | C&EN
Perovskite solar cells can be deconstructed using solvents and could be the solution to PV end-of life recycling. These cells and other emerging photovoltaic technologies grab headlines. But will they ever come to market?
TSCA Reform: EPA Publishes First Year Implementation Plan
June 30, 2016 | JD Supra
On June 29, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) posted an Implementation Plan that outlines EPA's plans for early activities and actions under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, legislation that significantly amends many of the provisions of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
Bio-based Hydrocarbons: Starch and Sugar to be Used as Commodity Chemical Feedstocks
July 18, 2016 | ChemSusChem
Sources of fossil-based hydrocarbons, such as heavy oil, shale gas, and oil sands, have helped address the decline of global fossil fuels production. However, these are finite resources and the continued development of sustainable and renewable alternatives to petrochemicals production must not be neglected. Renewable, non-food-based biomass is considered to be one of the most promising alternatives for the production of fuels and chemicals.
Researchers Study Whether Renewable Is Always Better
July 19, 2016 | 4 Traders
Making plastics from plants is a growing trend. It's renewable, but is it better? A recent study by Carnegie Mellon University researchers examines the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of three plant-based plastics at each stage of production compared with that of their common fossil fuel-based counterparts.
The Plastics Revolution: How Chemists are Pushing Polymers to New Limits
August 17, 2016 | Nature
Polymers have infiltrated almost every aspect of modern life. Now researchers are working on next-generation forms.
How the Chemical Industry Joined the Fight Against Climate Change
Oct 16, 2016 | New York Times
It might seem surprising to find the world’s chemical companies on the front lines of preventing climate change, fighting to disrupt their own industries. But in a sweeping accord reached on Saturday in Kigali, Rwanda, companies including Honeywell and Chemours, a DuPont spinoff, were among the most active backers of a move away from a profitable chemical that has long been the foundation for the fast-growing air-conditioning and refrigeration business.
What Election 2016 Means for the Chemistry Enterprise
November 9, 2016 | C&EN
The election of Donald Trump as U.S. president and a Republican-controlled Congress portend significant impacts to the chemistry enterprise. Given Republicans' campaign statements, academic researchers are likely to feel a federal research funding pinch while the chemical industry could benefit from new energy policies and relaxed regulation.
6 Bio-based Plastics Made from Unconventional Feedstocks
November 17, 2016 | Design News
As bio-based and renewable plastics become more common the raw materials used for feedstock are also getting more varied, including used chewing gum, tires and carbon dioxide.
Protein Provides New Route to Carbon-Silicon Bonds
November 24, 2016 | C&EN
Silicon is the second most abundant element in Earth’s crust after oxygen, but carbon-silicon bonds are unheard of in nature: Neither biological organosilicon compounds nor biosynthetic pathways to create them have been identified. But when given the right starting materials, some heme proteins can stereospecifically form carbon-silicon bonds, report researchers from Caltech.
Research Simplifies Recycling Process for Rare-Earth Metals
December 12, 2016 | Phys.org
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have pioneered a process that could enable the efficient recycling of rare-earth metals, which are found in many high-tech devices.
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