The main purpose of this course is to show how in the recent years, the chemical industry has made considerable efforts to reduce its impact on the environment towards the decrease of the consumption of raw materials with a contextual increase in the utilization of renewable energies. In particular, will be discussed the AOP (Advanced Oxidation processes) for air and water purification, the production of fuels and chemicals from biomass, the production of energy from natural gas reforming and from the organic wastes, with a focus on the active materials widely used for the environmental protection. Furthermore, some examples of already applied sustainable industrial processes will be examined.

Knowledge and understanding:

• Knowledge of the main industrial processes and plants with high sustainability 

Applying knowledge and understanding:

• Ability to link the theoretical studies on catalysis and industrial and environmental chemistry with the real applications
• Inductive and deductive reasoning skills.

Making judgements​:

• Critical reasoning skills.
• Ability of connection  between the various covered topics.

Communication skills:

• Ability to describe the arguments in the oral form  with an adequate scientific  language.

Learning skills

• Ability to apply the acquired knowledge to describe a process or an industrial plant according to the principles of the eco-sustainability.
• Ability to synthetize and to characterize heterogeneous catalysts

Theoretical lessons 6 cfu, laboratory work and tests concerning the laboratory experiences 3 cfu

Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.

Basic knowledge regarding thermodynamics, kinetics and catalysis.

Mandatory.

• Introduction: green chemistry, sustainable chemistry and sustainable industrial chemistry
• Processes and plants with high sustainability
• Biotechnology and biocatalysis
• Fuels and chemicals from biomass
• CO₂ valorization
• Sustainable Industrial processes
• Nanotechnology and catalysis
• Green economy
• Laboratory work: Synthesis and characterization of heterogeneous catalysts. catalytic and photocatalytic tests, bioethanol synthesis.

1. Sustainable Industrial Processes, F.Cavani, G.Centi ,S.Perathoner and F.Trifiró Eds:Wiley-VCH, 2009.
2. Catalysis, Green Chemistry and Sustainable Energy, Volume 179 1st Edition; New Technologies for Novel Business Opportunities; A. Basile, G. Centi, M. De Falco, G. Iaquaniello, Eds: Elsevier, 2019
3. Nanotechnology in Catalysis, Applications in the Chemical Industry, Energy Development, and Environment Protection, B. Sels, M. Van de Voorde,  Eds:Wiley-VCH 2017

The exam will start from the laboratory reports, then it will move on to a topic chosen by the student and will end with three or four questions related to the other contents of the course. During the lessons some questions will be illustrated and highlighted.

Examples of questions:

• Processo Ecofining
• MOF
• Sintesi acido adipico
• processo SHOP
• nanozeoliti e MOF
• AOP
• Biofuels
• CO2 capture e cella PEC
• Laboratory reports