Green Chemistry

Berkeley’s Jeffrey Reimer will receive AIChE’s Warren K. Lewis Award for ChE education

October 16, 2023
Professor Jeffrey Reimer is being recognized for outstanding contributions to chemical engineering education based on accomplishments in classroom teaching, course development, authorship of teaching texts, and departmental chairmanship, as well as excellence in research.

Scientists advance affordable, sustainable solution for flat-panel displays and wearable tech

January 22, 2024
Peidong Yang and colleagues develop new 3D-printable materials that could enable a cheaper manufacturing processes for next-gen OLED televisions, smartphones, and other devices.

Learning from the past: How algae use memory to protect against sudden changes in sunlight

December 7, 2023
Research from Graham Fleming finds the molecular mechanisms responsible for photoprotective memory in algae have implications for crop productivity.

An unexpected discovery at the air-water interface

December 4, 2023
Research led by Richard Saykally reveals a surprising chemical pathway for a CO2 reaction important in many geological and biological processes.

Capturing wellhead gases for profit and a cleaner environment

November 13, 2023
UC Berkeley chemists have now come up with a simple and green way to convert these gases — primarily methane and ethane — into economically valuable liquids, mostly alcohols like methanol and ethanol.

A big step toward ‘green’ ammonia and a ‘greener’ fertilizer

January 17, 2023

Ammonia power plant

A chemical plant that produces ammonia, most of which goes into making fertilizer. (Photo via UC Berkeley)

Industrial production of ammonia, primarily for synthetic fertilizer — the fuel for last century’s Green Revolution — is one of the world’s largest chemical markets, but also one of the most energy intensive.

Globally,...

PDP student research becomes white papers for Givaudan

October 31, 2022

Fruit processing

Berries being processed for the marketplace. (photo Adobe Stock)

The Product Development Program (PDP) at UC Berkeley is a master’s level – non-traditional degree program. The program focuses on using real-world product development practices such as those practiced with pharmaceuticals,...

Pioneering mountaineer and Berkeley chemist continues quest to reduce harmful chemicals

May 13, 2022

Alumna Arlene Blum at Mt. Everest in 1977

Arlene Blum (Ph.D. '71, Chem) climbed Mount Everest in late 1976 while she was also writing a scientific paper about dangerous chemicals in children’s pajamas. (Photo courtesy Arlene Blum)

In 1977, three months after Berkeley scientist Arlene Blum climbed Mount Everest and wrote a paper about cancer-causing...

Building awareness for a sustainable society and lifestyle

April 23, 2021

Practicing a sustainable lifestyle

A young woman practices sustainable living purchasing bulk items in a store. (adobestock)

At UC Berkeley, students can teach classes called Decal to spread awareness and fun about the topics they are passionate about. Kelly Chou, currently a senior studying...

Circular plastic, the utopia of environmentalists, is a reality

March 3, 2020

plastic recycling

Plastic is a certainly versatile element. There is much we can do with it. Utensils, tools, parts for cars, technological devices. There is only one thing we do not know how to do with plastic: disappear when it is no longer useful. There the real headache begins and the enormous challenge of obtaining a circular or fully recyclable plastic is posed. Plastics contain various additives, such as dyes, fillers or flame retardants and very few of them can be recycled without loss of performance or aesthetics. The most recyclable plastic, PET (ethylene polyterephthalate), is only recycled at a rate of 20-30%. The rest generally goes to incinerators or landfills where it takes centuries to decompose.