Green Chemistry
Chemistry can and must provide knowledge and technologies for the sustainable management of resources and lifestyles. With a reversal of perspective, as a voracious consumer of raw materials and an important source of pollution for the design of the future of all of us, chemistry contributes to the identification of the root of problems and the definition of their solutions, with a "global look". From the air, to the water, to the ground and "circular" approach, with green strategies from the production of chemicals to the recycling of materials at the end of their use.
The attempt to reduce the environmental impact of the chemical enterprise by developing sustainable processes and technologies which are inherently non-toxic to living things and to the environment is one of the mission of modern chemistry. Highly interdisciplinary expertise is needed to realize the application of innovative technology and to establish industrial procedures according to new emerging concepts of sustainability. In this sense, Green Chemistry can be thought as a toolkit to fully exploit the intrinsic added value of waste biomass in terms of source of chemicals and renewable energy.
Research topics
The development of environmentally improved synthetic methods and processes to valuable products can be realized through the design of new, greener and safer approaches. Alternatives to traditional VOCs are investigated by the use of water, micellar systems, ILs and NaDES as solvent to perform synthetic transformations (Prandi, Blangetti, Quagliotto).
Developing active, selective, and energy efficient heterogeneous catalytic processes is the key to a sustainable future and this is the reason why heterogeneous catalysis is at the center of the chemicals and energy industries. The design, testing, and implementation of robust and selective heterogeneous catalytic processes based on insights from fundamental studies is of crucial importance.
Homogeneous catalysis (Deagostino, Prandi, Barbero)
Heterogeneous catalysis (Cerrato, Minella, Martra)
Photocatalysis (Deagostino, Maurino, Minero)
Biomass is becoming increasingly important as a renewable feedstock for the production of biofuels, chemicals and energy, as a sustainable alternative to fossil resources. However, it is necessary to develop new technologies that allow the integrated transformation of lignocellulosic biomass, the main raw material, in bio refineries. Novel and promising strategies for the conversion of biomass or biomass-derived products into valuable chemicals, including bio-based products and biofuels are investigated (Magnacca, Tabasso).