CHEM41450 Sustainable Development Chemistry

Academic Year 2023/2024

The first section of the course covers Water resources, Water as Green solvent, Purification strategies for drinking water, Water pollution, DOM (dissolved organic matter) in water, Wastewater treatment, Climate change and water chemistry/pollution. The second part of the module will cover electrical energy storage with batteries and capacitors/supercapacitors, use of such systems in ‘green’ fuel production/eco-friendly cars, and renewable energy storage using photoelectrochemical devices. The third part will highlight green synthesis methods and associated enabling technologies with applications from academia and the fine chemical industries.
There will be 3 lecture slots per week, student group/individual presentations in weeks 4, 8 and 12.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Student completing this module will be able to discuss the role of water as a green solvent including ambient, sub-critical, and supercritical conditions; describe chemistry involved with various water pollutants and determine appropriate treatment options for each, included topics are:
• Water as a green solvent / biphasic
• New technologies to purify water for drinking and wastewater treatment
• Differences in water reservoirs: Surface vs. ground vs. estuary vs. ocean (vs. Irish Sea)
• Water Pollution situations: sources of pollutant, chemistry in water, impacts
• Wastewater treatment, dealing with sludge - Traditional and Novel

They should be familiar with principles of electrical energy storage e.g., capacitors and pseudo-capacitors, batteries as well as renewable energy storage:
• Energy storage
• Capacitors/Supercapacitors
• Batteries
• Photoelectrochemical systems
• Green fuels and waste utilization

The students have the ability to discuss the benefits and issues associated with green synthesis:
• Continuous flow chemistry and its impact on green chemistry for producing fine chemicals
• Applications of electro- and photochemistry exploiting flow processing
• Use of enzymes as biorenewable and biodegradable catalysts
• Biorenewable building blocks and green solvents for chemical synthesis
• Industrial case studies exemplifying green synthesis technologies

Indicative Module Content:

The following topics will be covered:

• Water as Green solvent
• Purification strategies for drinking water
• Water pollution and wastewater treatment
• Electrical energy storage
• Renewable energy storage
• Green fuels and chemicals
• Continuous flow reaction technology,
• Biorenewable building blocks and enzyme catalysts and
• Flow-based electro- and photochemistry.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Seminar (or Webinar)

12
Autonomous Student Learning

80
Total

116
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The approach to teaching and learning in this module is primarily through lectures which are face-to-face.
The workshops and presentations are in both individual and group activities for the students.
Literature review on topics related to chemical sustainability.
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

CHEM10040-The Molecular World

Learning Recommendations:

CHEM20110 - Env & Sustainable Chem.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Examination: Written examination 2 hour End of Trimester Exam No Graded No

70
Continuous Assessment: Group and Individual Presentations Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded No

30

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students receive individual feedback on their presentations as well as general feedback to entire class. Students receive additional practice through the in-class work sessions held during the trimester.

Name Role
Dr Demetra Achilleos Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Marcus Baumann Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Professor James Sullivan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
 
Spring
      
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 09:00 - 09:50
Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Wed 09:00 - 10:50
Spring