MSc Advanced Chemical Engineering

The unit consist of the following main topics:

1. Linear and circular economies of chemical production: the concept of linear and circular chemical feedstocks are introduced and discussed. This will focus on how to identify and describe the two,  evaluate the benefits and drawbacks, and access these holistically through LCA
2. Alternative Feedstocks: potential replacements to petroleum as sources of chemical feedstocks will be explored and put in context with linear and circular production concepts. For example; biomass, blue and green hydrogen, CO2, and waste streams, including waste original derived from petrochemical feedstocks such as plastics, will be presented along with the opportunities and requirements for how these can displace petroleum.   
3. Prevention over disposal: the principles for waste minimisation during chemical synthesis will be considered. Metrics to quantify chemical process sustainability, including selectivity, atom economy, and E-Factor, will be introduced to allow evaluation of competing chemical production pathways.
4. Novel products and processes: here alternatives to petroleum-based products (e.g. 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid as a replacement for terephthalic acid, and chemical alternatives for bisphenol-A) will be explored and discussed. In particular, focusing on the concept of conserving molecular complexity, in the context of retaining chemical functional groups (and therefore chemical properties), instead of building it in.
5. Reaction Media: here green solvents, ionic liquids/ deep eutectic solvents, and supercritical fluids, will be considered as reaction media options to displace volatile organic solvents.
6. Alternative technologies: this topic will explore alternative technologies, including microwave heating, sonication, photochemistry, and plasma reactors.
7. Catalysis: the role of catalytic processes will be compared to stoichiometric reagents as green and safer alternatives. Furthermore, it will focus on the developments in producing sustainable catalytic materials, including concepts centred on element sustainability, materials recycling, and optimal utilisation of rare and high-value elements.
8. End of Life: in this topic, the concept that products have an end-of-life will be discussed, along with strategies to tackle these waste streams. Concepts will include designing in reuse, recycle, or repurpose at the point of production alongside methods for processing composite materials where performance dictates complexity (e.g. blister packs)

The unit will introduce and develop an understanding of the concepts key to the drive towards sustainable chemical production and the switch a circular economy model.

Feedback will be made available via the virtual learning environment following marks release.

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