E-Mail
IMAGE: University of Illinois professor David Flaherty and graduate student Tomas Ricciardulli demonstrate a more efficient and environmentally friendly method to produce hydrogen peroxide, which is in high demand for its. view more
Credit: Claire Benjamin/University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Hydrogen peroxide (H
2O
2) is used to disinfect minor cuts at home and for oxidative reactions in industrial manufacturing. Now, the pandemic has further fueled demand for this chemical and its antiseptic properties. While affordable at the grocery store, H
2O
2 is actually difficult and expensive to manufacture at scale.
A team led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has demonstrated a more efficient and environmentally friendly method to produce H
Discovery Improves Catalytic Production Of Chemicals chemicalonline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chemicalonline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Date Time
Mysterious organic scum boosts chemical reaction efficiency, may reduce chemical waste
Illinois researchers are part of multi-institutional team that found that solvents spontaneously react with metal nanoparticles to form reactive complexes that can improve catalyst performance and simultaneously reduce the environmental impact of chemical manufacturing. Reprinted with permission from D. Flaherty et al., Science 371:6529 (2021).
Graphic courtesy Alex Jerez, Imaging Technology Group – Beckman Institute.
Graduate students Abinaya Sampath, left, and Tomas Ricciardulli; professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering David Flaherty; and graduate student Jason Adams.
Photo by L. Brian Stauffer.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. Chemical manufacturers frequently use toxic solvents such as alcohols and benzene to make products like pharmaceuticals and plastics. Researchers are examining a previously overlooked and misunderstood phenomenon in the chemical reactions used to make these p