Organic Chemistry Journal

Organic Chemistry Journal

Jeff Walters, April 12th 2016

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY CIRCUITS ARE FLEXIBLE AND WORK WE, Hackaday,  Al Williams, March 21st 2016

Old standard circuitry is not able to keep up with the more modern technology. This constant innovation led us from the first computer to the latest smartphone. An international team of researchers is developing chemical-based circuitry that uses gold nanoparticles and electrically charged organic molecules to build circuit elements that act like semiconductor diode junctions. These systems are able to operate without getting wet. Other circuit elements similar to transistors and light sensors should be possible even though these circuits are not perfect either. The switching speed needs improvement as well as these chemical circuits have difficulties if things get dry. There is still room for improvement. This technology needs a good bit of engineering refinement before it is practical.

I wonder how this new technology is going to affect electricians and technicians alike and will new requirements for jobs be changed. Also are these new conductors more environmentally safe or hazardous and do they use more less energy than conventional ones.

Chemists develop carbon-carbon bond formation without toxic by-products, Science Daily, Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU), April 7th 2016

Chemists have found a way to avoid producing a large amount of toxic waste at carbon-carbon bond formation. Ordinary water and nature solvents is suggested to be used. New methods are the result of a long-term palladium catalyzed reaction research, a study for which the 2010 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded

If they are using ordinary water, will it out soon run out causing a whole strain of new problems? Unless they plan on doing this through evaporation and precipitation this seems like a it could not last for too long but I assume they already have thought of this if they wish to apply it practically.

Enhanced ethylene separation and plasticization resistance in polymer membranes incorporating metal–organic framework nanocrystals, Nature Materials, April 11th 2016

The start of membrane-based separations in the petrochemical industry has the ability to reduce energy consumption significantly relative to conventional separation processes. To do this requires the development of new membrane materials with greater selectivity, permeability and stability than what is currently being used. This article reports composite materials made of nanocrystals of metal–organic frameworks covered within a high-performance polyimide, which can exhibit enhanced selectivity for ethylene over ethane, greater ethylene permeability and improved membrane stability. These results suggest that framework–polymer interactions reduce chain mobility of the polymer while at the same time boosting membrane separation performance. The increased stability, or plasticization resistance, is expected to improve membrane utility under real process conditions for petrochemical separations and natural gas purification. This approach can be broadly applied to numerous polymers that encounter aggressive environments, potentially making gas separations possible that were previously inaccessible to membranes.

I think this is a interesting article because instead of stopping or slowing down petrol, it aims to just lower the energy required to run it. If it reaches such a point maybe they can become stabilized electrically which would at least be a step in the right direction. Petrol still has a huge impact on the environment and produces tons of toxins but at least the damaged can be minimized.

 Sprimo cleans the air you breathe — and tells you what’s polluting it, VB, Dean Takahashi, April 12th 2016

The sprimo is a new kind of air purifier that is improved from the past ones. This one though is personalised and tells you exactly what is polluting the air around you. There is a rating from 1 to 100 and if the lights blue you are fine, yellow not so much and red, you are in trouble. This what makes it so much more efficient but it comes with a current cost of $400. It also important to note that this filter is silent and it's parts are recyclable.

I thought this was a neat idea and is something that directly and immediately benefits the buyer as well as the surrounding environment. It is expensive so more than like only richer people will be buying them. I was concerned with the idea of having to produce more plastic to make them but their filters are recyclable. I was thinking to the rating system would be scary to plug in and you have a really low score, what has one been breathing this whole time.

Safer, cheaper, 'greener,' more efficient system for the synthesis of organic compounds, University of Texas at Arlington, March 28, 2016

Chemists at The University of Texas at Arlington have devised a safer, more environmentally friendly, less expensive and more efficient water-based system for the synthesis of organic compounds typically used in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, cosmetics, plastics, textiles and household chemicals.

I prior to finding this article was reading another on cosmetics that was describing this new finding and how it can be applied to cosmetics. I am still concerned from the first article because of how important water is to our immediate survival I think more things can be given up to prevent us from using freshwater simply as a means of looking alright.