To celebrate that RSC Sustainability has published its first issues we organised an author showcase webinar. The webinar highlighted a broad range of the excellent work published in our journal so far through a mix of live speakers and pre-recorded contributions.
Find out more about RSC Sustainability and read our published articles here.
Join our RSC Sustainability author showcase
10 May 2023, 14:00-15.15 (UK time)
Our upcoming author showcase is your chance to discover papers from RSC Sustainability. Whether you’re curious about the newest solutions for a greener future, or are looking for the right place to publish your own discoveries, join us on 10 May to hear from our authors and editorial board members.
Tune in to the webinar on YouTube or LinkedIn.
What will the author showcase cover?
Join the people behind RSC Sustainability to:
Start exploring RSC Sustainability
The latest research from RSC Sustainability is ready for you to discover. You’ll find the latest excellent, solutions-focused research in the chemical sciences dedicated to solving sustainability challenges – all free to read online. Read our papers here.
We look forward to you joining us.
Surfactant-free synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanomaterials: a perspective
Siavash Iravani
RSC Sustain., 2023,1, 72-82 D2SU00088A
Siavash Iravani (Pharm.D., Ph.D.) has worked on several academic research projects at the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences), including green and sustainable synthesis of nanomaterials, plant-derived nanostructures, phytochemical analysis, MXenes and their derivatives, carbon-based nanocomposites, drug/gene delivery nanosystems, biomedical engineering, and drug nanoparticles. He has been in the ‘World Ranking Top 2% Scientists’ list 2021 and 2022. His previous experience, of more than twelve years, centers on drug development and industrial pharmacy in various capacities including research and development, formulation, and quality control. Dr. Iravani has authored over 130 peer-reviewed scientific publications including 18 book chapters and two scientific books.
What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment and what do you find most challenging about your research?
Investigation of sustainable and eco-friendly synthesis methods of nanomaterials with high stability and multifunctionality on an industrial scale, with the benefits of cost-effectiveness, mild reaction conditions, environmentally-benign properties, reduction in energy consumption, and avoid of laborious/complex processes. The main question is whether these strategies can be industrialized or whether it can compete with existing methods or not.
How do you feel about RSC Sustainability as a place to publish research on this topic?
This prestigious journal is a unique platform for growing and advanced research in the field of environmentally-benign and sustainable (nano)technologies, including the prevention or minimization of the generation of hazardous wastes, the elimination or reduction of toxic/hazardous chemical agents, environmentally-benign management of toxic chemicals, and more.
Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other, early career scientists?
High effort and perseverance and looking to the future horizon for a world with less pollutants using sustainable and eco-friendly (nano)technologies based on green chemistry for preventing the generation of toxic or hazardous pollutants.
Birch fractionation in γ-valerolactone with the emphasis on pulp properties: prehydrolysis, acid-catalyzed, and alkaline-catalyzed concept
Marianna Granatier, Huy Quang Lê, Eva Carmona Gonzáleza and Herbert Sixta
RSC Sustain., 2023,1, 97-106 DOI: D2SU00046F
Marianna Granatier is a Ph.D. student at Aalto University in the group of Professor Sixta. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology at the Slovak University of Technology and her Master’s degree in Bioengineering at the Tampere University of Technology. Her research is focusing on pulping and biorefining. Specifically, she works on organosolv pulping using a green organic solvent called gamma-valerolactone.
Huy Quang Lê: “D. Sc. (Tech.) Together with Professor Sixta, Quang developed the proof-of-concept for the GVL biorefinery in his doctoral dissertation, titled “Wood biorefinery concept based on γ-valerolactone/water fractionation”. With extensive experience on various pulping techniques and pulping product characterization and valorization, Quang is currently responsible for the pulping activities in the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems of Aalto University. Since 2020, Quang has been working part-time in a consultant company, specialized in biorefinery and regenerated cellulosic fibers.
Eva González Carmona is a Ph.D. student at Aalto University (Finland) in the group of Professor Sixta. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (Spain) and a Master’s degree in Industrial and Environmental Biotechnology from Complutense University (Spain). Eva did her Master’s Thesis about catalyzed birch fractionation in GVL at Aalto University.
Professor Herbert Sixta, D. Sc., is Head of the Biorefineries research group at Aalto University. Professor Sixta has an extensive industrial and academic career in the field of wood chemical pulping and conversion to cellulose derivatives. He has authored and co-authored over 250 scientific publications and written a comprehensive textbook on all aspects of pulp production, conversion, and characterization.
What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment and what do you find most challenging about your research?
After several years of working on GVL research, it is exciting to see the amount of knowledge and data that we could gather and present. It is exciting to work on the process step-by-step and see the gradual development. The most challenging part is to optimize the GVL pulping for a wider selection of raw materials. GVL works best with hardwood, but for successful industrial implementation, the process should be more flexible in terms of raw materials.
How do you feel about RSC Sustainability as a place to publish research on this topic?
We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to publish our article in the first issue of RSC Sustainability. We can certainly see the journal growing fast to one of the most popular in this field.
Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other, early career scientists?
No matter how difficult reaching your goal seems to be, just persist, and keep walking. Once you look back, you will see that you have walked an amazing journey, with or without reaching your original goal.
RSC Sustainability welcomes all solutions-focused research dedicated to solving sustainability challenges. We’re delighted to share with you a selection of popular articles from February.
From rocks to bioactive compounds: a journey through the global P(v) organophosphorus industry and its sustainability, Sosthène P.-M. Ung et. al , RSC Sustain., 2023,1, 11-37, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00015F
Replacing all petroleum-based chemical products with natural biomass-based chemical products: a tutorial review, Ryohei Mori, RSC Sustain., 2023, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00014H
Biologically bound nickel accelerated de-polymerization of polyethylene to high value hydrocarbons and hydrogen, James Clark et al., RSC Sustain., 2023,1, 117-127, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00001F
Flow-through reductive catalytic fractionation of beech wood sawdust, Majd Al-Naji et al.,
RSC Sustain., 2023, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00076H
Tailoring lixiviant properties to optimise selectivity in E-waste recycling, Jennifer Hartley et al.,
RSC Sustain., 2023,1, 107-116, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00038E
Highly selective CO2 photoreduction to CO on MOF-derived TiO2, Susana Garcia et al.,
RSC Sustain., 2023, Advance Article, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00082B
To keep up to date with journal developments and opportunities to submit, sign up for the RSC Sustainability news and issue alerts.
We are delighted to welcome Dr Mike Sutton, Lubrizol, UK as an Editorial Board Member for RSC Sustainability, a new open access journal publishing solutions-focused research to solve sustainability challenges.
Learn more about our new Editorial Board Member
Mike Sutton is a Corporate Technical Fellow at Lubrizol. Mike has a broad range of projects for which he is accountable looking to bring environmental sustainability and lifecycle thinking into Lubrizol products and manufacturing in the short, medium and long term across the corporation and on a global basis.
Mike joined Lubrizol in 2002, historically working in chemical additives for engine oils, both in passenger and commercial vehicle areas. Prior to Lubrizol Mike worked for Ford Motor Company in their diesel engineering department and prior to that on completion of his PhD worked for the UK government in lubricants for the armed forces.
Mike is an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham and serves on the advisory board for the School of Chemistry at the University. He has previously served on various committees including the EPSRC Science Engineering and Technology Board.
Read out most recently published papers here. Find out more about RSC Sustainability on the journal webpage and submit your manuscript now.
Please join us in welcoming Dr Mike Sutton to RSC Sustainability.
The International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD) and the Royal Society of Chemistry are excited to collaborate in launching an annual essay competition, focusing on the role of the chemical sciences in sustainability. The theme for 2023 is “How can the chemical sciences lead the stewardship of the Earth’s element resources?”.
The competition is open globally to entrants under 35, providing a unique opportunity for young scientists and researchers to showcase their ideas and contribute to the important conversation on sustainability. The winning entries will be published in RSC Sustainability, providing a platform for the authors to share their work with a global audience and make a real-world impact.
Sustainability is a pressing issue that affects us all, and the chemical sciences have a vital role to play in addressing it. The chemical industry has the potential to drive innovation and develop new technologies that can help us make the transition to a more sustainable future. However, it is essential that these developments are guided by a responsible and ethical approach that takes into account the long-term impact on the planet and its resources.
The theme of this year’s competition, “How can the chemical sciences lead the stewardship of the Earth’s element resources?”, is particularly relevant in light of the growing demand for resources such as metals and minerals. The competition encourages young scientists to think about the challenges and opportunities that this presents and to explore ways in which the chemical sciences can help to ensure that these resources are used in a responsible and sustainable way.
We encourage all young scientists and researchers who are passionate about sustainability to submit an entry to the competition. The deadline for submissions is 31st March 2023. Further information on entering the competition can be found here.
We are delighted to welcome Professor David Cole-Hamilton, University of St Andrews, UK as an Editorial Board Member for RSC Sustainability, a new open access journal publishing solution-focused research to solve sustainability challenges.
Learn more about our new Editorial Board Member
Following degrees (BSc and PhD) at Edinburgh University, David Cole-Hamilton worked with Nobel Laureate, Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson at Imperial College, where he developed a strong interest in organometallic chemistry and especially homogeneous catalysis. His independent career started at Liverpool University (Lecturer and Senior Lecturer) before moving to be Professor of Chemistry at the University of St. Andrews in 1985. He became Emeritus in 2014.
The majority of his work has been on the applications of organometallic chemistry to solving problems in homogeneous catalysis and materials chemistry including nanomaterials. His most recent work has been concerned with making commodity and fine chemicals including plastics and pharmaceuticals from bio-derived waste oils that are by-products of other processes such as food production or paper manufacturing. In this way desirable effect chemicals can be made from biomass without using land that would otherwise be used for food production.
David has published more than 400 articles and patents with an h-index of 50. Particularly relevant to the scope of RSC Sustainability is The Role of Chemists and Chemical Engineers in a Sustainable World, in which he shows how chemistry can be used to tackle all of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He has won a number of prizes from the Royal Society of Chemistry as well as 5 prizes for teaching. In 2017 he was awarded the Alwin Mittasch Prize of the German Catalysis Society.
David is a past President of the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) having been President from 2013-7. This gave him extensive contact with chemical societies and policy makers throughout Europe. On behalf of EuChemS he led a team celebrating the International Year of the Periodic Table, which developed a new version of the Periodic Table highlighting element availability and vulnerability as well as which elements can come from conflict resources and which appear in smart phones.
Read some of his recent contributions below:
Synthesis of pharmaceutical drugs from cardanol derived from cashew nut shell liquid
Yiping Shi, Paul C.J. Kramer and David J. Cole-Hamilton
Green Chemistry, 2019, 21, 1043-1053
Patrizia Lorusso, Graham R. Eastham and David J. Cole-Hamilton
Dalton Transactions, 2018, 47, 9411-9417
Read out first articles here. Find out more about RSC Sustainability on the journal webpage and submit your manuscript now.
Please join us in welcoming Professor David Cole-Hamilton to RSC Sustainability.
The International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD), in collaboration with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), is launching an annual essay competition on the role of the chemical sciences in sustainability. The competition is open globally to entrants under 35 years of age, and the theme for the 2023 competition is:
How can the chemical sciences lead the stewardship of the Earth’s element resources?
Essays will be grouped into seven regions for shortlisting and selection of winners, with each regional winner receiving a prize of $500 (USD). The winning entries will also be published in RSC Sustainability. Shortlisted essays will be collected in an annual compendium, Young Voices in the Chemical Sciences for Sustainability, that will be published online and will be available on IOCD’s website.
Find out more about submitting your essay, the collection theme, and the prizes on offer by reading RSC Sustainability’s editorial about the competition:
‘Global essay competition: Young Voices in the Chemical Sciences for Sustainability’
RSC Sustain., 2023,1, 10-10, DOI: D2SU90002E
Read the first-ever issue of our gold open access journal
Our first issue is packed with full papers, communications, tutorial reviews and perspectives within the realm of sustainability and a better future. Plus, you can discover an editorial from our editor-in-chief, Tom Welton. Explore the full issue here.
Some of the articles included…
Introducing RSC Sustainability
Tom Welton
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 8-9, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU90001G
Global essay competition: Young Voices in the Chemical Sciences for Sustainability
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 10, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU90002E
Sosthène P M Ung, Chao-Jun Li
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 11-37, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00015F
Shan-Shan Chai, Wei-Bin Zhang, Jin-Lei Yang, Lun Zhang, Myat Myintzu Theint, Xian-Li Zhang, Shao-Bo Guo, Xia Zhou, Xue-Jing Ma
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 38-71, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00054G
Surfactant-free synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles: a perspective
Siavash Iravani
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 72-82, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00088A
Recycling post-consumer PLA into acrylic acid or lactide using phosphonium ionic liquids
Kwinten Janssens, Wouter Stuyck, Kirsten Stiers, Jens Wéry, Mario Smit, Dirk E de Vos
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 83-89, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00078D
Mika Takeuchi, Yutaka Amao
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 90-96, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00031H
Marianna Granatier, Huy Quang Lê, Eva Carmona González, Herbert Sixta
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 97-106, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00046F
Tailoring lixiviant properties to optimise selectivity in E-waste recycling
Jennifer M Hartley, Sean Scott, Rodolfo Marin Rivera, Phil Hunt, Anthony J Lucio, Philip Bird, Robert Harris, Gawen R T Jenkin, Andrew P Abbott
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 107-116, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00038E
Parul Johar, Elizabeth L Rylott, C Robert McElroy, Avtar S Matharu, James H Clark
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 117-127, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00001F
Keshavananda Prabhu C P, Kenkera Rayappa Naveen, Shambhulinga Aralekallu, Shivalingayya, Lokesh Koodlur Sannegowda
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 128-138, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00035K
Shah Faisal, Saima Sadiq, Muhammad Mustafa, Muhammad Hayat Khan, Muhammad Sadiq, Zaffer Iqbal, Maham Khan
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 139-146, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00044J
Ivy L Librando, Anup Paul, Abdallah G Mahmoud, Atash V Gurbanov, Sónia A C Carabineiro, M Fátima C Guedes da Silva, Carlos F G C Geraldes, Armando J L Pombeiro
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 147-158, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00017B
Color stability of blue aluminates obtained from recycling and applied as pigments
Dienifer F L Horsth, Julia de O Primo, Nayara Balaba, Fauze J Anaissi, Carla Bittencourt
RSC Sustain. 2023, 1, 159-166, DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00057A
RSC Sustainability is one of the latest additions to our gold open access journal portfolio. Every article in this issue, and future ones, is free to read and access by anyone. Publish your next paper in RSC Sustainability to be included in one of our issues. We are covering all article processing charges until mid-2025, so until then, you can publish with us for free.
All of our publications contribute to important conversations on sustainability, our planet and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We hope you feel inspired reading these.
Submit your manuscript to RSC Sustainability here!
