Green Chemistry and Safer Chemicals

“Low-lead perovskite solar technology for a clean, green, and sustainable energy future”

Topic areas addressed:

• Chemical of concern: lead
• Applies Green Chemistry Principle 4: designing safer chemicals
• Applies Green Chemistry Principle 6: design for energy efficiency

The Binghamton team seeks to support the renewable energy development in New York State by developing low-lead perovskite solar cells. Using the Green Chemistry principles of designing safer chemicals and designing for energy efficiency, the team will develop low-lead perovskite solar cells which will help to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions during manufacturing, deployment, and operation of perovskite solar technology. Perovskite solar cells have approximately 10 times less lead than traditional silicon solar technology, which uses lead in its metal contacts. The team also seeks to further reduce the lead content in perovskite solar cells by at least 50%, and to conduct environmental toxicity studies via degradation testing to assess chemical leaching, thereby reducing the toxic metal use in solar energy production.

Faculty PI co-advisors:

• Yuxin Wang, Assistant Professor, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering
• Tara Dhakal, Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering; Director, Center for Autonomous Solar Power

Student participants (lead listed first):

• Tasneem Tawalbeh, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering (Graduate)
• Wendy Reyes Ramos, Materials Science and Engineering (Graduate)

“Developing a novel tri-enzyme complex as a new poultry feed additive to enable simultaneous decreases of manure nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metal pollutions”

Topic areas addressed:

• Chemicals of concern: nitrogen, phosphorous, and heavy metals
• Applies Green Chemistry Principle 1: waste prevention

The Cornell team aims to apply the first principle of Green Chemistry—waste prevention—to prevent excess nutrient pollution from New York State poultry operations by developing a feed-additive to reduce the amount of nitrogen, phosphorous, and heavy metals in chicken manure. The team will develop a novel tri-enzyme complex containing protease, encapsulated phytase, and encapsulated laccase that aims to reduce nitrogen, phosphorous, and heavy metals excreted from poultry diets. By preventing excess nutrients from entering the environment, this project will help prevent freshwater eutrophication from waste runoff.

Faculty PI advisor:

• Xingen Lei, Professor, Animal Science; Associate Dean, Office of Research and Innovation

Student participants (lead listed first):

• Emile Fierro Morel, Animal Science (Graduate)
• Annika Madler, Food Science and Technology (Graduate)
• Keith Ou, Animal Science (Graduate)
• Jingjie Du, Nutritional Science (Graduate)

“Economical biopolymer production through waste CO₂ upcycling”

Topic areas addressed:

• Chemicals of concern: carbon dioxide and plastics
• Applies Green Chemistry Principle 7: use of renewable feedstocks
• Applies Green Chemistry Principle 9: catalysis
• Applies Green Chemistry Principle 10: design for degradation

The RPI team seeks to address global warming and plastic pollution by directly converting industrial waste CO₂ to lactic acid. By applying multiple principles of Green Chemistry, the team will demonstrate a more economical route for the production of polylactic acid (PLA), an important biopolymer, through direct conversion from waste CO₂ gas using an earth-abundant iron electrocatalyst. Additionally, by creating a biodegradable polymer from renewable feedstocks, this project will demonstrate material circularity.

Faculty PI advisor:

• Vidhya Chakrapani, Associate Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering

Student participants (lead listed first):

• Eve Love Yaghi, Chemical Engineering (Undergraduate)
• Sangyeon Lee, Chemical Engineering (Graduate)
• Steve Eshiemogie, Chemical Engineering (Graduate)

“Upcycling of polyolefin plastics to fluorescent materials for detection of metal ions”

Topic areas addressed:

• Chemical of concern: lead
• Applies Green Chemistry Principle 2: atom economy
• Applies Green Chemistry Principle 11: real-time pollution prevention

The RIT team aims to upcycle polyolefin plastic waste into fluorescent carbon dot Pb²⁺ metal sensors for monitoring lead pollution in environmental and industrial water sources. By valorizing plastic waste into value-added materials, this project will help decrease the amount of plastic waste incinerated or landfilled. The team will develop fluorescent carbon dots from polyolefin plastics and then develop chemical sensors with high sensitivity and selectivity for lead ions. The project will apply the green principle of atom economy by utilizing plastic wastes as the carbon source for carbon dots, and the chemical sensors will be a portable and low-cost application for real-time pollution prevention.

Faculty PI advisor:

• Xiangcheng Sun, Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering

Student participants (lead listed first):

• Koki Sekioka, Chemical Engineering (Graduate)
• Brian Nardone, Chemical Engineering (Undergraduate)
• Mason Conklin, Chemical Engineering (Undergraduate)
• Nazanin Mosleh, Chemical Engineering (Graduate)