Article
Engineering, Chemical
Keng Siang Goh, Yunfeng Chen, Jeng Yi Chong, Tae Hyun Bae, Rong Wang
Summary: The study successfully developed a thin-film composite membrane with excellent performance and stability for pharmaceutical concentration and solvent recovery. The membrane, after cross-linking treatment and synthesis of thin-film composite through interfacial polymerization, was solvent-activated to enhance permeability. In experiments, the membrane showed good permeability and rejection rates for acetone and methyl red.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
E. Kavitha, E. Poonguzhali, D. Nanditha, Ashish Kapoor, G. Arthanareeswaran, S. Prabhakar
Summary: Resource constraints and deteriorating environment have led to the need for industrial process intensification and value recovery from spent streams. Reverse osmosis has proven to be cost-effective for water recovery, and other membrane processes also show potential for value recovery from effluents.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mengmeng Liu, Jianqiang Wang, Yajie Ding, Yong Zhou, Fu Liu
Summary: Viscous oil separation and its highly efficient recovery is a challenging task in oil/water separation. A nondispersive solvent extraction strategy using a polydopamine modified PVDF Janus membrane has been proposed for efficient recovery of viscous lubricant oil from emulsions. The polydopamine layer facilitates the adsorption and diffusion of oil droplets through the membrane. The optimized membrane exhibited a 70% higher accumulative flux for viscous lubricant oil compared to the contrast PVDF membrane.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Jessica A. Teodoro, Giordana D. Arend, Mariane C. Proner, Silvani Verruck, Katia Rezzadori
Summary: Food processing industries have negative environmental impacts, and membrane separation processes are a sustainable alternative that can meet the needs of innovative processes and equipment design in the food industry. This review summarizes the application of membrane separation processes in the food industry over the past 10 years, and identifies waste treatment, recovery of valuable compounds, and alternatives to high energy consumption processes as sustainable processes. Future research should focus on implementing membrane separation processes in different industrial environments to make current processes more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Kristin F. Hurst, Nicole D. Sintov, Grant E. Donnelly
Summary: Household decisions, such as thermostat settings and food choices, are often made through conversation among multiple people. However, research on conversation as a tool for social influence, especially in sustainability, is lacking. In three experiments, the causal effects of peer-to-peer conversation on sustainable behavior were tested, considering the roles of psychological safety and partner stance.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Md Eman Talukder, Fariya Alam, Mst. Monira Rahman Mishu, Md. Nahid Pervez, Hongchen Song, Francesca Russo, Francesco Galiano, George K. Stylios, Alberto Figoli, Vincenzo Naddeo
Summary: The Chinese pharmaceutical industry and TCM are essential parts of Chinese culture. Traditional methods for preparing TCMs have become less standardized, resulting in lower-quality medicines. Membrane technology, an environmentally-friendly and energy-saving technology, is being used for the concentration, purification, and separation of TCMs. However, there is often a lack of consideration for the influence of membrane materials and structures on separation during the membrane selection process.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gianluigi Farru, Giovanna Cappai, Alessandra Carucci, Giorgia De Gioannis, Fabiano Asunis, Stefano Milia, Aldo Muntoni, Matteo Perra, Angela Serpe
Summary: The agro-industrial sector plays a significant role in greenhouse gas emissions, and proper waste management is essential to reduce the carbon footprint of the food chain. Hydrothermal carbonization is a promising thermochemical process that can convert organic materials into energy and value-added products. The integration of hydrothermal carbonization and anaerobic digestion shows potential for multiple product and energy recovery, increasing the overall sustainability and resilience of the agro-industrial sector.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Nawader Alqadhi, Mohamed H. Abdellah, Sarvarkhodzha Nematulloev, Omar F. Mohammed, Mahmoud A. Abdulhamid, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: Polymer engineering can improve the properties and performance of membranes. In this study, two customized PEEKs were synthesized and green membrane preparation methods were used. The effects of polymer structure, green solvent, and crosslinking on membrane performance were investigated, as well as the molecular interaction between organic solvents and PEEKs. The membranes showed high permeance and long-term stability in acetone, making them suitable for active pharmaceutical ingredient purification.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chihui An, Kevin M. Maloney
Summary: Cascade reactions are recognized for their cost-cutting benefits, decreased solvent usage, and reduced cycle times in chemical processes. Biocatalytic and chemoenzymatic cascades have emerged as a sustainable approach for synthesizing complex molecules, with potential applications in pharmaceutical, agricultural, and fine chemical industries.
CURRENT OPINION IN GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Adrien Magne, Emilie Carretier, Lilivet Ubiera Ruiz, Thomas Clair, Morgane Le Hir, Philippe Moulin
Summary: Catalyst recovery is a significant challenge for achieving green chemistry in industry. Homogeneous platinoid catalysts, which are crucial for cross-coupling reactions in the pharmaceutical industry, are based on scarce, expensive, and toxic resources and degrade over time. Finding effective methods for their recovery can limit environmental and economic impacts.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vadim Ippolitov, Ikenna Anugwom, Robin van Deun, Mika Manttari, Mari Kallioinen-Manttari
Summary: Ultrafiltration was utilized in the purification of spent Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) to recover lignin fractions and purify the solvent. By adding ethanol as a cosolvent and utilizing 10 kDa and 5 kDa membranes in a two-pass ultrafiltration process, about 95% of dissolved polymeric compounds were removed from the spent DES.
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Ebrahim Allahkarami, Bahram Rezai
Summary: This review article provides recent progress regarding the separation and purification of cerium by different methods, with solvent extraction (SX) being a popular technique for high purity cerium commercial production.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
He Li, Tariro Mabhiza, Yadong Ning, Zhihui Yu, Caixia Lv, Xiaobo Shen, Guangye Wei, Jingkui Qu
Summary: This research explored the purification and recovery of beryllium from a multi-component solution using a solvent extraction method. It was found that under optimal conditions, 98.66% of the beryllium could be extracted using naphthenic acid as the extractant. The study also developed a process flowsheet for the separation of beryllium from multiple impurities using naphthenic acid, which showed high efficiency and a favorable beryllium-aluminium separation effect.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mengmeng Liu, Liqiang Shen, Jianqiang Wang, Yajie Ding, Yong Zhou, Fu Liu
Summary: This study proposes a membrane-based non-dispersive solvent extraction method for continuous separation and recovery of oil from oil-in-water emulsion with high viscosity and concentration. The method utilizes a hydrophobic poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibrous membrane to facilitate the transfer of oil from the emulsion side to the solvent side. The recovered oil can easily be obtained by evaporating the solvent, and its water content remains similar to the original sample.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Alena Krupkova, Monika Muellerova, Roman Petrickovic, Tomas Strasak
Summary: The performance of commercial cellulose membranes with pore size on the border between ultra-and nano-filtration in selected organic solvents was studied. The rejection of small solutes and applicability for dendrimer purification were the main focuses of this study. The results showed that solute molar volume and polarity type, expressed by Hansen solubility parameters, were crucial factors affecting rejection, and the spatial arrangement became important with increasing size of solute molecule. The solvent composition also influenced the membrane structure, resulting in a decrease of membrane molecular weight cutoff.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rifan Hardian, Kristen A. Miller, Levente Cseri, Soumyabrata Roy, Jessica M. Gayle, Robert Vajtai, Pulickel M. Ajayan, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: In this study, four freestanding conjugated microporous polymer membranes were fabricated and their performance for organic solvent nanofiltration was evaluated. The results showed that the nanofiltration performance of the membranes was proportional to the pore size, indicating that the molecular sieving properties of the membranes could be controlled by pore size. All the membranes demonstrated long-term stability.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Rifan Hardian, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: This study investigates the structural and morphological evolutions of fullerenols under temperature changes using in situ spectroscopic techniques. The results reveal that fullerenols undergo four-step structural transformations, leading to the formation of crystalline products with microporosity and CO2 sorption capability.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Malinalli Ramirez-Martinez, Sandra L. Aristizabal, Gyorgy Szekely, Suzana P. Nunes
Summary: Membrane technology is an efficient industrial separation process that has a small environmental footprint. To enhance sustainability in the chemical industry, it is important to consider the circular economy principles when designing membranes, including the use of renewable sources, solvents, and recycling strategies. Recycling plastic waste into separation membranes can help mitigate the environmental impact of plastic pollution.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Diana G. Oldal, Fuat Topuz, Tibor Holtzl, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: The electrospinning of polymer nanofibers, especially biodegradable cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers, has attracted significant attention due to their unique properties and a wide range of applications. However, the conventional electrospinning process involves the use of toxic solvents and additives. In this study, we developed a green solvent system and used biosurfactants to improve the electrospinning process and obtain uniform and porous CA nanofibers. The nanofiber diameter and porous texture could be adjusted by tuning the solvent ratio, and the resulting nanofibers showed tunable degradation properties.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
David W. Burke, Zhiwei Jiang, Andrew G. Livingston, William R. Dichtel
Summary: 2D COFs are attractive candidates for next-generation membranes, but the reported performance metrics for their selective molecular transport vary dramatically. There is a lack of consistent relationships between the designed COF pore structure and separation performance, suggesting that these imperfect materials do not sieve molecules through uniform pores. This perspective article describes rigorous practices for evaluating COF membrane structures and separation performance.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Gergo Ignacz, Aron K. Beke, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: Studies on organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) have been limited to small and specialized datasets, hindering broader investigations. To improve understanding, a large dataset of rejection values from three membranes and ten industrially relevant solvents was introduced. The relationships between membrane, solvent, and solute performance were identified using structure-property relationship methods. The study highlighted the limitations of using solute molecular weight alone to characterize membrane and separation performance and emphasized the need for comprehensive modeling approaches.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Levente Cseri, Sushil Kumar, Peter Palchuber, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: This study establishes a comprehensive database by investigating the 1H and 13C NMR chemical shifts of 42 green solvents, acids, and bases in eight NMR solvents. The results are combined with earlier reports to create an online interface for easy identification of residual impurities in NMR spectra.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
K. R. Balaji, Mohamed H. Abdellah, V. G. Dileep Kumar, M. S. Santosh, Roopa Reddy, Surender Kumar, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: Climate change and environmental problems require the use of renewable resources and sustainable technologies. In this study, carbon-based composite membranes were fabricated using giant cane and a plant-based binder. The membranes exhibited improved hardness and selectivity with increased carbon content. Long-term performance tests showed stable rejection rates and steady-state flux. The use of natural and nontoxic resources in preparing these membranes presents a sustainable route for nanofiltration in aqueous and organic solvents.
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sushil Kumar, Jiahui Hu, Ajmal Pandikassala, Sreekumar Kurungot, Matthew A. Addicoat, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: Recently, scientists have been investigating the use of proton carriers like water and phosphoric acid (PA) in porous materials to improve proton conduction performance. Ionic covalent organic nanosheets (iCONs) have been found to be promising due to their ionic interfaces which promote interaction and shorten ion transport pathways. However, there is a lack of research on proton conductivity in PA-loaded iCONs. In this study, functionalized guanidinium-based iCONs were prepared and PA was loaded ex situ to observe its effects on proton conduction. The results showed that one of the functionalized iCONs exhibited high proton conductivity, making it potentially useful for energy conversion devices.
APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Gergo Ignacz, Aron K. Beke, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: Compared with traditional membrane separation methods, nanofiltration offers advantages in reducing waste generation and energy consumption. To address challenges in industrial applicability, we propose four important pillars: digitalization, structure-property analysis, miniaturization, and automation. By fostering promising technologies, such as process analytical technologies and the development of a parallel artificial nanofiltration permeability assay (PANPA), we fill gaps in the development of nanofiltration membranes and processes. Furthermore, the use of density functional theory-aided structure-property relationship methods can help understand solute transport at a molecular level.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Rifan Hardian, Mahmoud. A. Abdulhamid, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: This paper reports the fabrication of composite carbon molecular sieve (CCMS) membranes by incorporating fullerenol nanomaterials into a polyimide matrix. The encapsulation of nanomaterials, their chemical footprint, and the variation in the local chemistry of the pyrolyzed membranes are successfully revealed. The incorporation of fullerenol nanomaterials enhances the molecular sieving effect and improves the separation performance in organic media.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Joyce Cavalcante, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: The increasing demand for effective oil-water separation materials has led to the exploration of sustainable and ecofriendly solutions. In this study, a superamphiphilic, self-growing fibrous membrane derived from Pleurotus ostreatus mycelium was investigated. The surface engineering of the membrane improved wettability and fine-tuning, and a nanoporous membrane contactor facilitated the harvesting of the membrane. The findings emphasize the significance of harnessing natural compounds and self-growing fibrous mycelium for advanced separation technologies.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Nawader Alqadhi, Mohamed H. Abdellah, Sarvarkhodzha Nematulloev, Omar F. Mohammed, Mahmoud A. Abdulhamid, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: Polymer engineering can improve the properties and performance of membranes. In this study, two customized PEEKs were synthesized and green membrane preparation methods were used. The effects of polymer structure, green solvent, and crosslinking on membrane performance were investigated, as well as the molecular interaction between organic solvents and PEEKs. The membranes showed high permeance and long-term stability in acetone, making them suitable for active pharmaceutical ingredient purification.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Hossein Jalaei Salmani, Rifan Hardian, Hadi Kalani, Mohammad Reza Moradi, Hamed Karkhanechi, Gyorgy Szekely, Hideto Matsuyama
Summary: This article predicts the performance of organic solvent reverse osmosis (OSRO) using a machine learning model. By introducing new variables and using principal component analysis (PCA) to simplify information, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was constructed. The experimental results demonstrate that these new variables significantly improve the accuracy of OSRO predictions.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Mohamed H. Abdellah, Claudia Oviedo, Gyorgy Szekely
Summary: This study investigates the effect of the degree of acetylation (DoA) on the performance of cellulose acetate (CA) membranes. It is found that decreasing the DoA improves the solvent resistance and hydrophilicity of the membranes, while maintaining excellent thermal stability. The molecular weight cut-off of the membranes can be fine-tuned by adjusting the DoA.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xuemei Liu, Chaonan Cui, Shuoshuo Wei, Jinyu Han, Xinli Zhu, Qingfeng Ge, Hua Wang
Summary: This study presents a new strategy for designing efficient photocatalysts that can convert CO2 into hydrocarbons by utilizing synergistic catalytic sites. The findings provide a solution for the selective photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CH4.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chengxian Hu, Dan Wang, Lu Wang, Ying Fu, Zhengyin Du
Summary: A novel one-pot, three-component reaction conducted under electrochemical conditions was studied. The reaction involved 2-aminothiophenols, aldehydes, and malononitrile, using TBABF4 as an electrolyte and CuI as a catalyst. The proposed reaction mechanism suggested that CuI served as an electron relay. This method offers simplified operation, high atom economy, and mild reaction conditions.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhi Yang, Yu Chen, Linxi Wan, Yuxiao Li, Dan Chen, Jianlin Tao, Pei Tang, Fen-Er Chen
Summary: A highly enantioselective method for the complete hydrogenation of pyrimidinium salts using Ir/(S,S)-f-Binaphane complex as the catalyst was developed. This method provides easy access to fully saturated chiral hexahydropyrimidines, which are prevalent in many bioactive molecules. The reactions exhibit high yields and enantioselectivities under mild reaction conditions without additives. Successful application of this methodology in a continuous flow fashion further extends its practical utility.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tina Jeoh, Jennifer Danger Nill, Wujun Zhao, Sankar Raju Narayanasamy, Liang Chen, Hoi-Ying N. Holman
Summary: In this study, the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose was investigated using real-time infrared spectromicroscopy. The spatial heterogeneity of cellulose was found to impact the hydrolysis kinetics. Hydration affected cellulose ordering, and Cel7A preferentially removed less extensively hydrogen bonded cellulose.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tiphaine Richard, Walid Abdallah, Xavier Trivelli, Mathieu Sauthier, Clement Dumont
Summary: An effective method of grafting functionalities onto lignin based on glycerol carbonate has been developed using an efficient nickel-catalysed telomerisation reaction. This method allows lignin to have new reactive functions and reduces the glass transition temperatures of modified lignins, thereby expanding the application range of lignin-based resins.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jing Qi, Xiyan Wang, Gan Wang, Srinivas Reddy Dubbaka, Patrick ONeill, Hwee Ting Ang, Jie Wu
Summary: This study presents a green and environmentally friendly approach for the synthesis of imides using electrocatalytic oxidation with H2O as the oxygen source. The method eliminates the need for toxic or expensive oxidants and achieves high yields under mild reaction conditions. It shows broad substrate compatibility and potential for industrial applications.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Babasaheb Sopan Gore, Lin-Wei Pan, Jun-Hao Lin, Yi-Chi Luo, Jeh-Jeng Wang
Summary: Here, we report a visible light-promoted intramolecular radical cascade reaction for the construction of fluorenol and naphthalene-fused cyclopropyl carbaldehyde derivatives. This method offers mild reaction conditions, a broad substrate scope, excellent step efficiency, and scalability, without the need for external chemical oxidants. The novelty of this protocol was demonstrated by synthesizing chrysene analogs and performing late-stage functionalizations.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Juho Antti Sirvio, Idamaria Romakkaniemi, Juha Ahola, Svitlana Filonenko, Juha P. Heiskanen, Ari Ammala
Summary: This article discusses the method of using supramolecular interaction between an aromatic hydrogen bond donor and lignin to achieve rapid delignification of softwood at low temperatures.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yunyan Meng, Chunxiang Pan, Na Liu, Hongjiang Li, Zixiu Liu, Yao Deng, Zixiang Wei, Jianbin Xu, Baomin Fan
Summary: A novel visible light-driven synthesis method for 2,3-diamines has been developed, which has mild conditions, avoids the use of metal reagents, and can synthesize diamines and diols in one pot.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mingqing Huang, Haiyang Huang, Mengyao You, Xinxin Zhang, Longgen Sun, Chao Chen, Zhichao Mei, Ruchun Yang, Qiang Xiao
Summary: A direct air-oxidized strategy for the synthesis of benzo[b]phosphole oxides was developed in this study. Arylphosphine oxides were transformed into phosphinoyl radicals, which were further combined with various alkynes to achieve the desired products. DFT calculations revealed the mechanism of phosphinoyl radical formation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Anwei Wang, Jiayin Huang, Chunsheng Zhao, Yu Fan, Junfeng Qian, Qun Chen, Mingyang He, Weiyou Zhou
Summary: This study demonstrates an innovative strategy for the aerobic oxidation of C(sp(3))-H bonds using gamma-valerolactone. By optimizing the reaction conditions and utilizing specific catalysts, efficient oxidation of C(sp(3))-H bonds is achieved with good chemoselectivity in certain cases.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shun Li, Likai Tong, Zhijian Peng, Bo Zhang, Xiuli Fu
Summary: Sulfide compounds show promise as electrocatalysts for water splitting, but their performance is limited by factors such as limited active sites and hindered substance transport. This study successfully prepared a high-entropy sulfide (ZnCoMnFeAlMg)(9)S-8, which reduced grain size and increased specific surface area, enabling the realization of a dual-functional catalyst with multiple catalytic sites. High entropy also modulated the electronic properties of sulfides, reducing the potential energy barrier for hydrolysis. This research introduces a new approach for functionalizing high entropy nanomaterials and improves the performance of water splitting catalysts.