Green Chemistry Blog

Wool waste from the manufacturing of textiles is a renewable source of the biopolymer, keratin. The cysteine building blocks of keratin give rise to hydrogen bonding and covalent disulfide bonds; thus, harsh conditions or toxic reagents are required for its processing in conventional solvents. Alternative media, such as ionic liquids (ILs) and deep eutectic solvents, have been investigated for the processing of cellulose and lignin. Polypeptide-based keratin from Merino wool, on the other hand, may be used to produce protein fiber, but is less widely studied. In this paper, ILs and deep eutectic solvents were evaluated for their ability to dissolve wool keratin, and the regenerated material was characterized.

The researchers discovered that the wool did not appreciably dissolve in any of the deep eutectic solvents tested. In contrast, ILs were effective solvents and the solubility of wool was enhanced by adding 2-mercaptoethanol as a reducing agent. Characterization data revealed that the structure of the regenerated wool was altered from the raw material by a loss of crystallinity. Breakdown of the protein into smaller, water-soluble fragments also occurred, but this material could not be separated from the ILs.

Dissolution and regeneration of wool keratin in ionic liquids
Azila Idris, R. Vijayaraghavan, Usman Ali Rana, A.F. Patti, and D. R. MacFarlane
Green Chem. 2014, 16, 2857.
DOI: 10.1039/C4GC00213J

Jenna Flogeras obtained her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of New Brunswick (Fredericton), Canada. Currently a Ph.D. student at Memorial University of Newfoundland, she is excited to spend some time outside the laboratory this summer to explore Thailand and Southeast Asia.

Issue 3 of Green Chemistry is now available to read online.

The outside front cover this month (pictured left) features work by Javier Pérez-Ramírez and co-workers from Zurich, Switzerland. In their work they report how the Lewis-acid catalysed isomerisation of bio-oil derived glyocal over tin-based zeolites efficiently and sustainably produces glycolic acid and alykyl glycolates.

Read the full article:
A continuous process for glyoxal valorisation using tailored Lewis-acid zeolite catalysts
Pierre Y. Dapsens, Cecilia Mondelli, Bright T. Kusema, René Verel and Javier Pérez-Ramírez  
Green Chem., 2014, 16, 1176-1186, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC42353K

The inside front cover this month (pictured right) features work by Philip Jessop and co-workers from Ontario, Canada. In their work they focus on switchable-hydrophilicity solvents (SHS), which can switch reversibly between one form that is miscible with water and another that forms a biphasic mixture with water. They report new examples and compare them in terms of safety and environmental impact.

Read the full article:
Design and evaluation of switchable-hydrophilicity solvents
Jesse R. Vanderveen, Jeremy Durelle and Philip G. Jessop  
Green Chem., 2014, 16, 1187-1197, DOI: 10.1039/C3GC42164C

Both of these articles are free to access for 6 weeks!

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The 3rd Industrial Green Chemistry World-Convention & Ecosystem (IGCW-2013), Asia’s largest Industrial gathering on green chemistry and engineering will be held on 6th, 7th and 8th December, 2013. It will bring together knowledge seekers and knowledge providers in the field of Green Chemistry and Engineering (GC&E) to advance the existing technologies and also to catalyze commercialization of environmentally benign as well as economical alternatives. It will mostly focus on the fields of Pharmaceuticals, Agro-chemicals, Dyes & Pigments, Specialty and Fine and Performance Chemicals.

1000+ global visitors that include senior decision makers from preeminent companies, 300 participators from leading Indian and International organizations, government bodies, academic institutions and 50 exhibitors will gather on the exhibition floor to seek emerging GC&E technologies, solutions and services.

Here you can network with the top Industry and Academia experts visiting IGCW-2013 as speakers and Presenters. It gives you an opportunity to utilize non-linear promotional benefits through IGCW Social media, website and IGCW Partners, connecting more than 50,000 Chemical Industry stakeholders world-wide. It gathers over 500 senior representatives from Management, R&D, Technologies, Operation & Production.

Exhibitor categories include:
– Green Processes & technology solution providers
– Green Solvents
– Green Catalysts
– Green Engineering
– Green chemicals, additives, etc
– Green Measurements & relevant service providers

IGCW-2013 Expo is one of the many aspects of the IGCW Convention. The 3rd IGCW-EXPO will bring together around 50 solutions and technology providers from all over the globe to partner with you in resolving your- immediate, short-term, mid-term or long term industrial green chemistry and engineering based requirements.

IGCW-2013 Date & Venue
6th, 7th & 8th December 2013
Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel
Lakeside Chalet, Near Chinmayanand Ashram, Powai, Mumbai

For further information contact Ms. Krishna Padia at krishna.dave@newreka.co.in