Sustainable Chemical Processes
Code: 106776 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Sciences | OP | 4 |
Contact
- Name:
- Jose Peral Perez
- Email:
- jose.peral@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
General knowledge of Chemistry.
Objectives and Contextualisation
1. To assimilate the most important changes that the world of chemistry is experiencing in recent years in order to minimize its environmental impacts and achieve more sustainable modern societies. Green Chemistry.
2. To take a tour of the most notable cases of replacement of non-renewable, toxic, and dangerous materials with more sustainable alternatives.
3. To recognize the role of chemistry in the development of renewable energies.
4. To mention some particular issues of improvement in chemical processes and materials that have a decisive impact on sustainability on the planet.
Learning Outcomes
- CM37 (Competence) Present proposals for the prevention and mitigation of the impact on the physical environment of natural or anthropogenic action, including that based on green chemistry.
- CM39 (Competence) Transmit general scientific information associated with an environmental problem to a general audience appropriately.
- KM47 (Knowledge) Recognise the way in which human activity has an impact on the function of physical vectors (water, soil, oceans, atmosphere) in the natural environment.
- SM46 (Skill) Characterise the main processes of natural environments (marine, soil, atmosphere), including aspects of physics, chemistry, geology, biology and their interaction.
Content
1. Basic Concepts on Sustainable Chemistry
1.1. Pollution Risk Assessment.
1.2. Green Chemistry.
1.3. Life Cycle Analysis of Chemical Processes.
1.4. Assessment of the Distribution of Pollutants in the Environment: Fugacity Model.
2. Replacement of Materials
2.1. New Materials from Biomass.
2.2. Sustainable Synthesis of Polymers.
2.3. Biodiesels.
2.4. Ionic Liquids.
2.5. Solvents with Deep Eutectic Point.
2.6. Water as a Solvent.
2.7. Replacement of CFCs.
2.8. Graphene.
2.9. Metal Organic Frameworks
2.10. Sustainable Metals and Alloys.
3. Energy Replacement
3.1. Chemistry and Renewable Energies: Solar Cells and Windmills.
3.2. Energy Storage in Batteries.
3.3. Hydrogen.
3.4. Fuel Cells.
4. Other Important Topics
4.1.CO2 Capture.
4.2.Ammonia Production.
4.3.Desalination.
4.4.Desulfurization.
4.5.Photocatalysis for Urban Atmosphere Cleaning, Hydrogen Production and CO2 Removal.
4.6.Enzymatic Degradation of Plastics.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Resolution of numerical problems and mathematical modeling on the distribution of pollutants in the environment. | 10 | 0.4 | CM37, CM39, KM47, CM37 |
| Theoretical classes: Master classes on the concepts of the syllabus | 38 | 1.52 | CM37, CM39, KM47, CM37 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Collaborative learning | 30 | 1.2 | CM37, CM39, KM47, SM46, CM37 |
| Student autonomous learning | 56 | 2.24 | CM37, CM39, KM47, SM46, CM37 |
Theoretical classes: Lectures on the concepts of the syllabus.
Problem classes: Resolution of numerical problems and mathematical modeling on the distribution of pollutants in the environment.
Note: 15 minutes of a class will be reserved, within the calendar established by the center/degree, for the completion by students of the surveys to evaluate the performance of the teaching staff and to evaluate the subject/module.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homeworks | 10% | 10 | 0.4 | CM37, CM39, KM47, SM46 |
| Two written tests with theoretical and practical parts | 90% | 6 | 0.24 | CM37, CM39, KM47 |
Continuous assessment:
1st Partial: 45% of the final grade
2nd Partial: 45% of the final grade
1st Assignment: 5% of the final grade
2nd Assignment: 5% of the final grade
Re-sit Exam: 90% of the grade. The remaining 10% will be the grade for the assignments. The re-sit will be for partials.
The partial exams will have a part of multiple-choice questions, and another of questions in which you will have to develop a reasoning.
A minimum final grade of 5.0 is required to pass.
Non-participation in any of the activities will be assessed with a zero.
If neither of the two written tests is taken, the final grade will be "Not assessable".
In order to attend the re-sit, the student must have previously been assessed in continuous assessment activities equivalent to 1/2 of the final grade.
Single assessment:
Students who have opted for the single assessment method must take a final test that will consist of a theory exam where they must answer a series of short questions and develop a couple of topics. When finished, they will submit the practice reports.
The student's grade will be the weighted average of the previous activities, where the theory exam will account for 80% of the grade, and each of the practice reports 10% (1st and 2nd papers).
If the final grade does not reach 5, the student has another opportunity to pass the subject through the remedial exam that will be held on the date set by the degree coordination. In this test, 70% of the grade corresponding to the theory can be recovered. The practice part is not recoverable.
Bibliography
1. Química Verd. X. Domènech. Ed. Rubés. Barcelona, 2005. ISBN 9788449701818.
2. Top Value Added Chemicals From Biomass, Volume I: Results of Screening for Potential Candidates from Sugars and Synthesis Gas. T. Werpy and G. Petersen. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) joint Report. August 2004.
3. Polymers without Petrochemicals: Sustainable Routes to Conventional Monomers, Graham Hayes, Matthew Laurel, Dan MacKinnon, Tieshuai Zhao, Hannes A. Houck, and C. Remzi Becer, Chem. Rev. 2023, 123, 2609−2734. DOI:10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00354.
4. Ionic Liquids. Zhigang Lei, Biaohua Chen, Yoon-Mo Koo, and Douglas R. MacFarlane. Chemical Reviews, 2017, 117, 10, 6633-6635. DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00246.
5. Deep Eutectic Solvents: A Review of Fundamentals and Applications. Hansen et al., Chem. Rev. 2021, 121, 3, 1232–1285. DOI:10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00385.
6. Water as Green Solvent: Methods of Solubilisation and Extraction of NaturalProducts—Past, Present and Future Solutions. Lajoie, L.; Fabiano-Tixier, A.-S.; Chemat, F., Pharmaceuticals 2022, 15, 1507. DOI: 10.3390/ph15121507.
7. https://www.epa.gov/ozone-layer-protection/ozone-depleting-substances
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120224110737.htm
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FDwPAxpAqM&list=PLSLer1VLaLheR3bi78X1c4pCa9YMjY2ZL&index=20
9. Metal-organic frameworks for environmental Applications, Wen et al., Cell Reports Physical Science 2, 100348, February 24, 2021. DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100348.
10. The Materials Science behind Sustainable Metals and Alloys, Dierk Raabe, Chem. Rev. 2023, 123, 5, 2436–2608. DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00799.
Software
No especial software is needed
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |