Governing Material Change: Strategies for Circular Design, Compliance, and Supply-Chain Resilience through Industry-Academia Collaborations

The full impact of a new technology can only be achieved if it is available for large scale implementation and commercial success. Specifically, in the field of Green Chemistry the market entry of new molecules or new processes often require several steps in scale to allow for internal risk mitigation answering the questions of scalability of a process step, the process safety and a better understanding of the costs. As important and often not so well considered is the risk mitigation in the downstream value chain all they way to the final product and its end of life use evaluations.
This talk will outline a value chain driven approach to answering technical and economic scale-up risk as well as show possible solution pathways in a cost-efficient way suitable even for small companies. Employing a comparative and simple approach the technical feasibility as well as costs on different pilot and production scales can be assessed and compared.
The talk will include three examples, including two of new and sustainable molecules derived from biomass, in which processes and products were scaled from mL laboratory scale trough pilot production to multi ton commercial production. Decision points for different approaches, investment decisions and partnerships will be evaluated and thus the relevance to the value chain driven scale-up approach highlighted.

Green Chemistry Network Centre (GCNC), established under the American Chemical Society’s IUPAC CHEMRAWN GCI-DEN Grant and recommendation of World Leaders in Green Chemistry headed by Professor Paul Anastas (known as father of Green Chemistry), is working very hard to popularize Green Chemistry in India. The Centre provides a network for exchange of expertise, discussion and knowledge between industrialists and academicians and between chemists and engineers with interests and expertise relevant to Green Chemistry. The presentation will talk about various initiatives on experiential learning experiences for students, teachers, and researchers, enabling them to develop practical skills in green chemistry. GCNC is to inculcate the importance of Green Chemistry in young researchers’ minds such as preparation and dissemination of educational materials on Green Chemistry for school, college and university levels, with the simultaneous design of laboratory experiments for these levels as well. The presentation will also include a real-world case of Indian Pharmaceutical Industry. Governing material change is a critical challenge in the global transition toward sustainable and circular chemical systems..

Industry–academia partnerships are presented as essential mechanisms for translating laboratory-scale green chemistry innovations into industrial implementation, supporting regulatory compliance, and strengthening supply-chain resilience against disruptions and hazardous material dependencies. The role of policy frameworks, digital material tracking, and capacity building initiatives led by Green Chemistry Network Centre (GCNC) India is emphasized in fostering responsible material governance.

The study concludes that integrating green chemistry into material governance frameworks is essential to achieving circular economy goals, ensuring regulatory compliance, and building resilient, sustainable supply chains.

Aircraft OEMs face growing expectations to deliver sustainable products while navigating limited precedent for assigning sustainability value to early-stage technology development. We present a case study in which a novel biobased resin—designed as a drop-in substitute for phenolic resin in aerospace interior applications—was developed and evaluated using an Excel-based holistic sustainability assessment tool for which a patent is pending. Objectives were to (1) evaluate compatibility of the new bio-based resin chemistry leveraging renewable feedstocks to reduce toxicity and regulatory risk to aerospace-relevant performance requirements, and (2) assess the project’s sustainability value across circularity and multi-criteria ESG metrics to produce an artifact for a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) review.

Methods combined materials research and qualification planning with an early-stage screening assessment that flags sustainability risks and benefits across environmental, social, and governance domains. The assessment tool highlights tradeoffs and prompts targeted follow-up analyses—such as life cycle assessment (LCA) or Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) quantification as applicable.

Results include an innovative sustainability artifact recommended for incorporation into the established TRL process, demonstration of the tool’s ability to detect sustainability risk early in development, and evidence that quantifying circularity (MCI) materially supported the project’s value proposition. The screening output helped guide design and R&D prioritization, guide supply chain integration, facilitate stakeholder buy-in, and lead to continued funding and advancement of the green chemistry substitution.

Integrating a structured sustainability assessment at early TRL checkpoints enables detection and mitigation of environmental sustainability and regulatory risks, strengthens business cases for green chemistry substitutions, and supports responsible production and procurement decisions in the aerospace industry. Adoption of this artifact-driven approach can accelerate scale-up of low-toxicity, circular materials across sectors.

The Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) safer alternatives research combines rigorous performance testing with Pollution Prevention Option Analysis System (P2OASys) hazard scoring using authoritative information and embedding hazard prediction at the molecular level.

TURI pragmatically applies basic science to make green chemical engineering feasible at scale, aligning with UN SDG 12 targets such as:
12.4 – Environmentally sound management of chemicals and wastes throughout their life cycle, reducing releases to minimize health/environmental impacts
12.5 – Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention and reduction
12.6 – Encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices

Key examples include:

+ Biobased surfactants for semiconductor etchants, achieving equivalent performance to PFAS in oxidizing conditions, and P2OASys score reductions from 8.4 to 3.6–4.6. This led to over 90% customer switchover in less than 1 year, a 30X reduction in product price, and the avoidance of 5,000 pounds of annual PFAS emissions
+ Lead-free solder pastes used aqueous-synthesized nanoparticles, providing reliable bonding, reduced thermal stress, and enabling commercial viability across electronics supply chains
+ Hexavalent chromium-free conversion coatings were collaboratively developed for aerospace applications, reducing carcinogen exposure and enabling sector-wide adoption
+ Safer alternatives to halogenated solvents for critical cleaning, resulting in significant annual savings and <3-year ROI in advanced manufacturing facilities across Massachusetts
+ PFAS-free textile coatings utilized organic polymer systems for omniphobicity, delivering >150° water contact angles and >90% durability post-washing/abrasion, with significantly lower reproductive toxicity risks
+ Structure-activity relationships and Hansen Solubility Parameters guiding the selection and validation of alternative flame retardants and solvents for pharmaceutical applications.

These innovations are examples of many TURI-led initiatives to curb pollution at its source, cut hazardous waste by millions of pounds annually across industries in Massachusetts, and save water and energy.
They also show economic promise with short-term payback periods and have potential for global scaling, inspiring initiatives such as EU Substitution Centers.
These successes result from collaboration with researchers and companies supported by TURI funding and oversight to ensure deployment and supply chain integration.

Safe scale-up of chemical processes requires early identification and control of thermal instability hazards. This presentation outlines a practical framework for evaluating exothermic decomposition risks and establishing defensible thermal limits during process development and scale-up of new chemical processes.
Exothermic reactions (ΔH < 0) present particular concern when the compound of interest can undergo self-accelerating thermal degradation. Heat released during decomposition increases reaction rate, creating the potential for runaway behavior. The risk is amplified at larger scales, where reduced heat transfer efficiency limits the system’s ability to dissipate energy. Rapid heat release, especially when accompanied by non-condensable gas formation, can produce dangerous pressure excursions and explosion hazards.
Calorimetry is the primary tool for quantifying thermal risk. Techniques ranging from Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) to adiabatic methods such as Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC) and Vent Sizing Package 2 (VSP2) provide insight into onset temperature, heat release, and runaway potential. A critical parameter in interpreting calorimetry data is the Φ (phi) factor, which accounts for the thermal inertia of the test cell. High Φ methods are valuable for rapid screening but require conservative safety margins, whereas low Φ (near-adiabatic) techniques more accurately simulate large-scale conditions.
This talk will discuss how to interpret calorimetric data across Φ regimes, apply appropriate safety factors, and translate laboratory findings into safe maximum process temperatures. Emphasis will be placed on integrating thermal hazard assessment into early process development to prevent runaway events during scale-up and commercial manufacture.

New chemical innovators may be aware of the requirement for regulatory review and approval for new active pharmaceutical ingredients. Innovators may be surprised that other products have other review burdens and those burdens depend on the country in which the product will be launched, the tonnage manufactured or imported, and the target uses. In the United States, there are very different burdens for food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and components thereof under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act (FFDCA), pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and “everything else” under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In this presentation, attendees will learn about the timeframes and cost for testing, submission, review, and approval by regulators in major markets and the need to be clear with investors about the costs and timing of pre-market approval.

LP-184 is an acylfulvene class natural product derivative that exerts it action via alkylation of DNA. Previous routes to LP-184 used Acylfulvene, which is derived from illudin S, as feedstocks for early investigational batches. Access to these feedstocks were stymied by the inconsistent fermentation of O. olearius ( Jack-o-Lantern mushroom) to produce the ultimate feedstock of illudin S. To solve the manufacturing supply for upcoming clinical trials, we developed a de novo total synthesis of Acylfulvene and LP-184 to circumvent the reliance of natural sources. Several innovations had to be developed in order to realize the de novo total synthesis of the API, which includes a kilo-scale synthesis of a diazo ketone, selective methylation of a ketone over an enone via in situ protection, a Lewis acid mediated regioselective ring opening and use of serine as a formaldehyde scavenger.

Actinium-225 (Ac-225) has emerged as an isotope that can be used in targeted radiotherapy to treat cancers. The field of targeted radiotherapy and radioisotope production presents unique challenges where commercial batches at Ci levels may have a mass of only µgrams or less but could be used to treat hundreds of patients. During radioisotope production cyclotrons, nuclear reactors or rhodotrons are used to irradiate 0.2-100 grams of target material to make a specific isotope. To increase yield and purity some targets may contain expensive enriched isotopes that need to be recycled, or larger target masses may be used. Scaling up the irradiation process is unique as target survivability can be a major challenge due to the build up of heat in the target leading to catastrophic failures. Different approaches will be discussed to limit target failures. Chemical purification can be difficult because several variables need to be evaluated. The processing time, yields, recycling enriched target materials, radiochemical and chemical purity all impact the process that is chosen. The US DOE Isotope program formed a Tri-Lab team, and they focused on producing commercial levels of Ac-225 from proton irradiation of Thorium-232 at their linear accelerators. The scale up of a separation step to remove ~90% of Thorium-232 at 10- and 100-grams quantities from <0.1 mgrams of Actinium-225 will be discussed. A process was developed for a 10-gram target and is currently being used for production of Ac-225. Prior to developing a scaled-up process to 100 grams eight separation approaches were evaluated based on: process time, the amounts of radioactive waste generated during the process, problems with solubility and column capacity, regulatory and safety issues. For a 100-gram thorium target a solvent extraction step was developed which was able to remove 95% of the thorium and recover 98.7% of Ac-225.