{"title":"Recent progress on sustainable membrane manufacturing with green solvents and biopolymers","authors":"Chidambaram Thamaraiselvan, Ranil Wickramasinghe","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101092","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101092","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Membrane technology offers the potential for low-footprint solutions for industrial separation processes. However, using hazardous and conventional toxic solvents in membrane fabrication has raised sustainability concerns, prompting researchers to seek safer, bio-based solvent alternatives. Further disposal of used membranes is problematic. Both these concerns adversely affect the overall life cycle analysis. Green chemistry principles aim to reduce hazardous substances in chemical applications. Many studies have explored replacing conventional toxic solvents with less harmful green solvents. This opinion article covers the most recent trends, challenges, future directions, and advancements in sustainable membrane manufacturing over the past 4 years. These advances will lead to more sustainable membrane processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 101092"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Photogenerated charge carriers in photocatalytic materials for solar hydrogen evolution","authors":"Nguyễn Hoàng Ly , Lalitha Gnanasekaran , Tejraj M. Aminabhavi , Yasser Vasseghian , Sang-Woo Joo","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101087","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101087","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar radiation–based green H<sub>2</sub> evolution has emerged enormous interest due to photocatalysts hastening the solar energy conversion into chemical energy and repeating the cycle performance. Recently, CdIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub> (CIS) n-type semiconductors and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) having high-porous structures have emerged as excellent photocatalysts for green and sustainable energy generation due to their specific properties (e.g. durability, high surface area, tunable band gap, etc.). Novel composites based on combining CIS and MOFs enable broad light absorption, better separation, and transport of photogenerated carriers, improving solar energy utilization. In particular, charge migration at the interface between MOFs and CIS is noteworthy that the accumulation of photogenerated electrons on CIS conduction band causes remarkable enhancement of photocatalytic H<sub>2</sub> production. Covering the literature articles of the past 3 years, this mini-review presents efficient photocatalysts via simultaneous cooperation of CIS and MOF engineering as well as promising materials in H<sub>2</sub> production. First, this work illustrates applications of CIS- and MOF-based photocatalysts for solar H<sub>2</sub> evolution fabricating advanced photocatalysts with superior absorbed visible light. Last, future perspectives and challenges on emerging CIS- and MOF-assisted heterojunctions are provided, which create novel designs for materials by coupling CIS and MOF morphologies to create clean energy generation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 101087"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nila Davari , Javad Vahabzadeh Pasikhani , Claudia L. Bianchi , Viviane Yargeau , Daria C. Boffito
{"title":"Recent progress on Ti-based piezo-photocatalysts for wastewater treatment","authors":"Nila Davari , Javad Vahabzadeh Pasikhani , Claudia L. Bianchi , Viviane Yargeau , Daria C. Boffito","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101090","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101090","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Piezo-photocatalysis has emerged as a promising hybrid advanced oxidation process to eliminate resistant organic pollutants in wastewater via harnessing light irradiation and mechanical vibration. This process offers a synergistic enhancement of photocatalytic efficiency by coupling piezo-electricity with photocatalytic activity, addressing limitations of conventional photocatalysis, including rapid electron-hole pairs recombination and deactivation in the absence of illumination. We concisely review recent advancements in Ti-based piezo-electric semiconductors for wastewater treatment, focusing on research from 2020 to 2025. The studies included in this review are based on materials categorized into two main groups: integrated Ti-based piezo-photocatalysts and hybrid piezo-electric materials-incorporated TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysts. We critically discuss the impact of piezo-potential and corresponding internal electric fields on photoinduced charge separation and reactive oxygen species generation. Methodologies for assessing the piezo-electric and photocatalytic properties are explored. This review highlights piezo-photocatalysis’s potential applications and challenges, offering insights into future developments in advanced oxidation processes for wastewater treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 101090"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143175420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Progress and prospects in polymer science addressing plastic pollution in marine environments, including the deep-sea floor","authors":"Noriyuki Isobe , Shun'ichi Ishii , Hidetaka Nomaki","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101089","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101089","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodegradable plastics are expected to mitigate marine plastic pollution, yet there remains a concern of causing similar problems to petroleum-based plastics: if biodegradable plastics degrade too slowly in marine environments, they can fragment into microplastics, much like conventional plastics. In this review, we introduce the latest studies on ocean-friendly plastics encompassing fully recyclable plastics designed for efficient breakdown in recycling plants and biodegradable plastics engineered to decompose rapidly in marine environments. We explore how advancements in polymer science can contribute to mitigating plastic pollution in the oceans, one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 101089"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Are (bio)electrochemical techniques sustainable solutions to combat micro- and nano-plastic pollution?","authors":"Almeenu Rasheed, Yasser Bashir, Sovik Das","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101091","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2025.101091","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this era of extensive plastic dependency, the detrimental effects of micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) on the ecosystem along with their pervasive nature have been drastically impacting terrestrial and aquatic life. Even though conventional treatment techniques aid in separating MNPs from water matrices, the scope for mineralizing these pollutants into nontoxic substances was fostered through the emergence of electrochemical and bioelectrochemical systems (BESs). Hence, in this manuscript, the missing links for analyzing electrochemical and BESs on the grounds of MNP mineralizing efficiency, while prioritizing economic feasibility and sustainability, are critically emphasized through life cycle analysis and techno-economic assessment. Furthermore, this opinion paper functions as a guideline for identifying the significant potential of these emerging technologies through strength–weakness–opportunity–threat analysis to overcome the current challenges and to develop economical, sustainable, and technologically efficient MNP mitigating solutions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 101091"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143175419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Challenges and opportunities for computer-aided molecular and process design approaches in advancing sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing","authors":"Claire S Adjiman, Amparo Galindo","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101073","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101073","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pharmaceutical manufacturing gives rise to a large amount of waste per kilogram of active ingredient, a growing concern with the trend towards larger therapeutic molecules. Achieving better sustainability requires new approaches to process development. We explore the role that computer-aided molecular (and process) design (CAMPD) methods can play, highlighting the value of an end-to-end design mindset that can enable a more holistic assessment of sustainability. We discuss the challenges that must be overcome to deploy such an approach, identifying new structure-property models and the integration of CAMPD with process synthesis and computer-aided synthesis planning as possible research directions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 101073"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thiago C Pereira, Vinícius P Souza, Ana Paula F Padilha, Fabio A Duarte, Erico MM Flores
{"title":"Trends and perspectives on the ultrasound-assisted extraction of bioactive compounds using natural deep eutectic solvents","authors":"Thiago C Pereira, Vinícius P Souza, Ana Paula F Padilha, Fabio A Duarte, Erico MM Flores","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101088","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101088","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, the recovery of bioactive substances from biomass has been widely studied for obtaining high-value products, such as phenolic compounds and polyphenols. The ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) has gained recognition as an effective technique for extracting compounds with lower solvent, time, and energy requirements, compared to conventional processes (e.g. Soxhlet). The introduction of greener solvents for extraction procedures, such as natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), arose as a safer option than conventional organic solvents like methanol. The synergy of UAE-NADES processes can provide extracts of biocompounds with enhanced total phenolic content and superior antioxidant activity compared to extracts with conventional solvents. Using different hydrogen bond acceptors and hydrogen bond donors for NADES synthesis can generate solvents suited to diverse applications. This review aims to briefly present the status of UAE-NADES applications published from 2021 to 2024, exploring their key uses and benefits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 101088"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jijo Lukose , Megha Sunil , Elizabeth K Westhead , Santhosh Chidangil , Satheesh Kumar
{"title":"Gaining traction of optical modalities in the detection of microplastics","authors":"Jijo Lukose , Megha Sunil , Elizabeth K Westhead , Santhosh Chidangil , Satheesh Kumar","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101086","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101086","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The detection of microplastics is crucial, given their widespread occurrence as a global contaminant. Although numerous techniques exist for identifying small plastic particles, optical methods are increasingly acknowledged as efficient tools, particularly due to their noninvasive nature. The sub-nanoscale wavelength of light enables the identification of the unique characteristics of microscopic plastic particles through the use of technologies that integrate applied optics. This paper presents a comprehensive perspective of the various optical approaches used for the accurate detection and analysis of microplastics across different environmental settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 101086"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Recent advancements in centrifugal contactor design for chemical processing","authors":"Dries Versteyhe , Koen Binnemans , Tom Van Gerven","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101084","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101084","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article examines the latest developments of four different centrifugal reactors to improve liquid–liquid and precipitation processes. The mini-review covers recent scientific and technological progress made from February 2019 to July 2024 regarding the spinning disc reactor, rotor-stator spinning disc reactor, Taylor-Couette reactor, and annular centrifugal contactor, focusing on recent design evolutions and potential applications. Additionally, an overview of all the technologies is provided, aiming to highlight each technology’s strengths and weaknesses to enable an easier assessment of their applicability and position in the field of process intensification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 101084"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
David Lu , Minwoo Jung , Isabel C. Escobar , Tequila A.L. Harris
{"title":"Advances in applying sustainable materials and manufacturing scale-up in polymeric membrane fabrication","authors":"David Lu , Minwoo Jung , Isabel C. Escobar , Tequila A.L. Harris","doi":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101085","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.coche.2024.101085","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Next-generation polymeric membranes must be derived from more environmentally friendly materials that have similar solubility and miscibility properties as their predecessors to form permeable and selective membranes. Bio-derived polymers, recycled plastics, and eco-friendly solvents have been demonstrated to produce membranes with similar permeability and selectivity as conventional counterparts, though matching membrane durability and cost-effectiveness remain as future research challenges. Slot die coating and 3D printing have been demonstrated to show the scalability of membrane fabrication. Life cycle assessments have become valuable tools in estimating the total environmental impacts of the manufacturing process and characterizing the sustainability of new materials. Recent advances have shortened the gap between materials innovation research and commercial application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":292,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering","volume":"47 ","pages":"Article 101085"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}