Design of Novel Chemistries and Processes that Enable Sustainable Chemistry Innovation for Industry and Infrastructure: Part 1

This study reports the design and fabrication of a high-performance flexible all-solid-state zinc-ion capacitor based on a novel ternary composite, comprising V₂CT_x MXene (T_x = F, O, Cl, and OH), functionalized carbon nanotubes, and cobalt/nickel–cerium bimetallic metal–organic frameworks. The optimal binary composite ratio was determined through structural, morphological, and electrochemical analyses. Integration with bimetallic (Co and Ce or Ni and Ce) metal-organic framework yielded a ternary composite, which exhibited outstanding electrochemical performance in ZnSO₄/KCl electrolyte, achieving a specific capacitance of 1163.2 F g^-1 at 2 A g^-1. The synergistic combination of high electrical conductivity from functionalized carbon nanotube, multiple redox-active centers from Co/Ni, Ce, and V species, and the ion intercalation capability of MXene contributed to superior energy storage performance. The assembled flexible all-solid-state zinc-ion capacitor device delivered a remarkable specific capacitance of 667.7 F g^-1, an energy density of 133.5 Wh kg^-1, and a power density of 1799.5 W kg^-1, with 92% capacitance retention over 10,000 cycles and excellent mechanical stability under repeated bending. It establishes the development of promising electrode materials for next-generation flexible and wearable energy storage devices.

Water reuse and desalination are vital for addressing water scarcity, and reverse osmosis (RO) has become the heart of water treatment infrastructure in arid and semi-arid regions. While RO produces near-potable permeate, limited water recovery and concentrate management remain major barriers to sustainable operation. To overcome these constraints, this work presents an integrated primary RO-photobioreactor (PBR)-secondary RO (RO-PBR-RO) process in which brackish diatoms remove aqueous silica and calcium carbonate from RO concentrate, enabling secondary RO treatment and greater freshwater recovery. The system can achieve over 95% overall water recovery while converting a disposal-limited concentrate into a feedstock for valuable bioresources, including silica-based materials, calcium carbonate, and nutrient-rich biomass derived from the concentrate, fixed carbon dioxide, and natural sunlight. This approach supports the development of more circular desalination and water reuse infrastructure.

Continuous-flow pilot studies using 45- to 1,100-gallon photobioreactors demonstrated the scalability of the integrated RO-PBR-RO process with real RO concentrate from full-scale water reuse and desalination facilities, building on earlier proof-of-concept bench testing. Preliminary life-cycle cost assessments indicate that integrating biological pretreatment with secondary RO can reduce concentrate disposal costs while enabling resource recovery. Based on measured biomass productivity, estimated recovery rates reached 46 ± 8 g/m³/day of silica, 43 ± 9 g/m³/day of organics, and 83 ± 22 g/m³/day of calcite. These biomaterials can be processed to produce more value-added chemical feedstocks. Together, these recoverable materials reposition RO concentrate from a disposal burden to a resource stream. This work illustrates the RO-PBR-RO process as a practical framework for circular water infrastructure, integrating water recovery with resource generation to move desalination and potable reuse toward more sustainable operation.

Axially chiral anilines are valuable scaffolds in pharmaceutical chemistry, yet their synthesis through atroposelective C–C bond formation remains challenging, especially when the substrates possess a free NH2 group, which induces de-ligation and disrupts the catalytic cycle. To address this limitation, we report a safe, scalable, and highly efficient interfacial palladium-catalyzed atroposelective Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling enabled by a new engineered water-soluble catalyst system operating in a sustainable, greener EtOAc/H2O biphasic medium. Central to this advance is an amphiphilic, water-soluble ligand derived from AshPhos that stabilizes the palladium catalyst under liquid–liquid interfacial conditions. Comprehensive control experiments and NMR studies reveal that the catalytically active palladium species predominantly reside in the aqueous phase, with interfacial mass transfer playing a decisive role in productive C–C bond formation. This phase-controlled environment minimizes substrate-induced catalyst deactivation and suppresses off-cycle pathways, thereby enabling high atroposelectivity at low catalyst loadings under mild conditions. Mechanistic investigations further demonstrate that the synergy between ligand design and interfacial reactivity is essential for achieving exceptional selectivity. Together, these insights establish a generalizable platform for atroposelective cross-coupling at water–organic interfaces.

In the current pharmaceutical industry, the predominant method for diverting plastic waste, including waste from Single-Use Technology (SUT), from landfills is through waste-to-energy processes. While this method offers some benefits, its advantages are expected to decrease as global energy grids increasingly shift towards renewable sources and this form of waste management comes under greater scrutiny.
This presentation will explore a collaborative effort among Cytiva, Genentech/Roche, and the University of Wisconsin (WARF) focused on an advanced recycling technology and the outcomes of this partnership.
Barriers to Recycling SUT
We will cover the following barriers to recycling SUT:
Materials and Components: The recyclability of SUT materials and components.
Infrastructure: The lack of adequate recycling infrastructure.
Logistics: The complexities involved in waste hauling, cleaning, and sorting.
Broader industry collaboration is essential to develop a sustainable end-of-life solution for SUT materials.
Potential Solution for EoL SUT
The University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed a solvent-based chemical recycling technology (STRAP™) that stands out for its low environmental impact and potential as a circularity solution for bioprocessing plastic waste. This presentation will discuss the results of a funded collaboration with UWM, which aimed to evaluate this innovative technology using post-use Cytiva single-use product samples, specifically a single-use bag and a single-use filter capsule.
The evaluation focuses on the feasibility of this approach as an economically viable circular solution within the bioprocess single-use industry. Key aspects to be discussed include the characterization of reclaimed polymers, the manufacturability of these reclaimed materials, and a comprehensive techno-economic and environmental life cycle assessment of the entire process.
Despite these promising developments, we are actively seeking additional industrial collaborations to expedite efforts in enhancing the sustainability of single-use products in the biotechnology sector.

Effective, large-scale negative emissions technologies are urgently needed in order to curtail atmospheric CO₂ levels. Porous liquids are a promising new class of materials composed of porous molecular cages dispersed in a sterically-hindered solvent. They leverage the high CO₂ capture capacity and permanent porosity of solid sorbents combined with the practical advantages of liquids including improved heat transfer and the ability to be pumped through a continuous operation.

This research aims to establish structure-property relationships for Na-Y zeolite/triglyceride porous liquids. Triglycerides are sterically-hindered solvents consisting of a glycerol core connected to three hydrocarbon chains. Triglycerides are promising solvents for porous liquids due to their natural abundance, low cost and low volatility. Zeolites are ideal CO₂ capture materials owing to their high gas uptake and high stability. In particular, Na-Y zeolite has one of the highest CO₂ capacities of commercially available zeolites.

In this work, we synthesize and evaluate the CO₂ uptake performance of four triglyceride-based porous liquids containing Na-Y zeolites at 5 and 10 wt.%. Porous liquids were prepared using simple mixing and sonication methods. CO₂ uptake capacities of the porous liquids and neat triglycerides were measured using a pressure decay system built in-house across multiple temperatures from 15-55°C.

We find significantly increased CO₂ uptake in some 5wt.% porous liquids. Porous liquids synthesized with glyceryl trioleate, the longest-chain triglyceride, exhibited up to a 106% increase in CO₂ sorption compared to the neat triglyceride. However, porous liquids synthesized with glyceryl tributyrate, the shortest-chain triglyceride, showed no improvement in CO₂ uptake compared to the neat triglyceride. This is likely because short alkyl chains do not provide enough steric hindrance to prevent them from entering and occupying the zeolite pores.

This research advances green chemistry by establishing critical procedures and structure-property relationships to evaluate a promising porous liquid candidate for CO₂ sorption. The development of these porous liquids using low-cost starting materials and simple synthetic procedures helps position these materials as commercially viable solutions at scale. The result is a drop-in solution that is easily integrated into industrial plants for post-combustion CO₂ capture using existing infrastructure.

Renewable energy is key to combating climate change and ensuring sustainable clean energy, while supporting economic growth, energy security, and public health. Water electrolysis offers an efficient, carbon-free route for green hydrogen production. Herein, we introduce a straightforward synthesis approach for highly active dendritic multimetallic high-entropy alloy (DMHEA@PtIrPdAgRu) nanoparticles with sufficient entropic mixing, featuring uniform distribution of five noble group metals (Pt, Ir, Pd, Ag, and Ru) via block copolymer mediated one-pot solvothermal reduction method for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this synthesis, N, N-Dimethyl formamide (DMF) is used as a reductant as well as solvent and core-shell-corona type (poly(styrene)-block-poly(vinyl pyridine)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-PVP-PEO) block copolymer as structure directing agent. The cooperative effect between the copolymer architecture and the reducing environment of DMF promoted a confined nucleation mechanism for the formation of a single-phase dendritic structure HEA with high compositional uniformity, thereby mitigating phase segregation, a common challenge in the synthesis of multimetallic nanoparticles. This prepared DMHEA@PtIrPdAgRu catalyst exhibits a low overpotential of just 490 mV to attain a high current density of 100 mAcm^-2 with Tafel slope of 442 mVdec^-1 for oxygen evolution. The superior OER performance is attributed to the synergistic cooperation among its active and coordinated metal centers, as well as the incorporation of corrosion-resistant metals like platinum and ruthenium.

Cotton production faces escalating challenges from herbicide resistance and off-target movement, both of which threaten yield stability and environmental sustainability. In many cases, herbicide failure is not due to insufficient chemistry of the active ingredient. Modern herbicides are highly potent and well validated; however, field performance is often constrained by formulation limitations. Issues such as poor dispersion, formulation instability during storage or application, droplet breakup during spraying, and off-target drift can substantially reduce the fraction of active ingredients that reaches and persists on target weeds. Conventional formulations frequently rely on petroleum-derived surfactants and remain vulnerable to instability, volatility, and wash-off, leading to inefficient chemical use and unintended ecological impacts.
Here, we advance a green-chemistry-driven formulation strategy through the development of chitin-stabilized emulsions (CSEs) as a sustainable, nano-enabled delivery platform for cotton herbicides. Chitin is a renewable, biodegradable biopolymer derived from biomass that functions as a multifunctional stabilizer and carrier. As a solid particulate material, chitin nanowhiskers are inherently less prone to volatilization. At the nanoscale, chitin exhibits high surface activity and intrinsic amphiphilicity, enabling effective oil–water emulsion stabilization without the need for conventional synthetic surfactants. This approach aligns with key green chemistry principles, including the use of renewable feedstocks, reduced auxiliary substances, and improved material efficiency.
In this study, herbicide clethodim was incorporated into methylated seed oil (MSO)–based emulsions.The objectives were to (i) evaluate the encapsulation capability of nanochitin for cotton-relevant herbicides, (ii) characterize oil–water emulsion stability and droplet behavior, and (iii) assess chemical stability and controlled release under in vitro conditions. Formulation performance was evaluated using droplet size distribution measurements and advanced imaging techniques.
Current results demonstrate that chitin-stabilized MSO emulsions exhibit enhanced droplet stability and resistance to phase separation compared to conventional systems. By replacing petroleum-based surfactants with a bio-derived nanomaterial, this work highlights a viable pathway toward safer, more efficient agrochemical formulations with a reduced environmental footprint.

As one of the world’s largest makers of protective coatings, PPG is pioneering the development of switchable multifunctional thermal management materials that address critical industry challenges while advancing our sustainability mission. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have revolutionized applications spanning from consumer electronics to electric vehicles, yet effective thermal management remains a significant challenge. These batteries operate within narrow temperature windows and face the risk of catastrophic thermal runaway—a cascading failure mode that can result in fires and explosions. Our research focuses on developing switchable materials that dynamically adapt their thermal properties throughout a battery’s operational lifecycle. These materials provide optimized heat dissipation during normal operation while offering enhanced thermal protection and containment during emergency scenarios, thereby improving both safety and performance across diverse battery applications