Volume 3, Issue 6 -

Promising chemistry technologies are difficult to commercialize because of the “commercialization gap” that exists between academia and industry. This is especially important for discoveries in the area of green chemistry that can only fulfil their environmental and societal promise if they are successfully adopted by the chemical industry. However, the existing technology transfer model for academic commercialization is not well-suited for the highly sector-specific and long-term needs of chemistry technologies. GreenCentre Canada was founded in 2009 as a response to these commercialization needs: a chemistry-focused centre with sector-specific expertise (a Sector-specific Commercialization Centre, or SCC), including both highly trained scientists and business development professionals. GreenCentre works with academic researchers throughout Canada and internationally to evaluate, de-risk, scale-up, and optimize early-stage technologies in order to demonstrate the technology potential to industrial buyers or customers. Additionally, GreenCentre’s work extends to small- and medium-sized enterprises at a more advanced stage in the technology development process, as well as large multinational enterprises that are well-established within the chemical industry but also benefit from the centre’s expertise and resources. GreenCentre Canada represents a unique model for the development and commercialization of green chemistry technologies so that they may realize their environmental and societal benefits.

The production of hydrogen from renewable resources is still a major challenge in our way to reach a foreseen hydrogen economy. Abstracting the hydrogen contained in alcohols by means of acceptorless dehydrogenation reactions has emerged as a viable method with high potential. This is particularly true when applied to bio-based alcohols such as ethanol, glycerol or sugars, whose hydrogen extrusion is covered in this contribution. A general overview of the development of aceptorless alcohol dehydrogenation reactions and its potential implementation into future biorefineries are discussed.

The performance of ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) methods in calculating the vibrational wavenumbers in the isolated state was analyzed. To correct the calculated values, several scaling procedures were described in detail. The two linear scaling equation (TLSE) procedure leads to the lowest error and it is recommended for scaling. A comprehensive compendium of the main scale factors and scaling equations available to date for a good accurate prediction of the wavenumbers was also shown. Examples of each case were presented, with special attention to the benzene and uracil molecules and to some of their derivatives. Several DFT methods and basis sets were used. After scaling, the X3LYP/DFT method leads to the lowest error in these molecules. The B3LYP method appears closely in accuracy, and it is also recommended to be used. The accuracy of the results in the solid state was shown and several additional corrections are presented.

The γ-Al 2 O 3 and Ce 3+ Cu 2+ -doped γ-Al 2 O 3 powders have been synthesized by sol-gel method. Phases of the synthesized powders were characterized with X-ray diffraction. Morphological analysis and elemental composition of the samples were determined by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Luminescence characterizations have been used to study the synthesized samples. Ab initio calculations by the use of local density approximation with the Hubbard U correlation were used to compute the structural, electronic and optical properties of γ-Al 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 :Ce 3+ Cu 2+ . The results indicate that the particle size and morphology of the samples depend on the concentration of the dopants. In comparison with undoped γ-Al 2 O 3 sample, the intensities of emission peaks at 430 and 458 nm of Ce 3+ Cu 2+ -doped γ-Al 2 O 3 powders have been enhanced. This shows that, increasing Ce 3+ and Cu 2+ concentration causes an increase in the number of emitting ions which is expected in order to increase the number of applications of γ-Al 2 O 3 :Ce 3+ Cu 2+ composite powders. The photoluminescence spectrum detected at λ$\lambda$ex = 253 nm shows a new peak located at 549 nm due to Cu 2+ ions. This was confirmed computationally when the Ce_4f and Ce_5d states are found in the conduction band while the Cu_4p state was found at conduction band minimum and Cu_3d state at valence band maximum. This location of states showed there is no possible luminescence from the Ce 3+ ions. The only possible luminescence was due to transition from Cu_4p to Cu_3d states.

Mineral extraction industries at each mining step generate large volume of waste, and most of them represent potentially sources of crucial metals. This chapter describes extraction and main mining processes, principal classifications of the generated wastes, as well as the chemical properties of the waste material, their disposal and further treatment to recover metals. Most of the presented technological solutions are or have been tested in real processes or using real waste materials.

Electroplating and other metal finishing industries, like every metal and metallurgical industry, are associated with the generation of waste. Spent electroplating baths, waste pickle liquors, etching solutions and rinse waters from electroplating units and steel finishing operations are complex solutions containing acids and several hazardous metals. It is compulsory, for environmental and economic reasons, to treat these solutions for recovering acid, metals and/or reusing these solutions/waters. This article is a review on the characterization of the wastes that are generated in electroplating industry, steel processing and copper etching in printed circuit boards manufacture, as well as on the treatment and regeneration methods of such streams. Various techniques, such as neutralization, crystallization, evaporation, pyrohydrolysis, electrodialysis, ion exchange, classical solvent extraction and membrane-based solvent extraction are presented, their advantages and disadvantages being scrutinized.