February Newsletter Issue 5

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As Brian steps into a new chapter of? his life, we all at Drochaid celebrate his achievements and we wish our already missed friend well on his journey ahead.

?"Despite our wish to contribute comments and memories about Brian from all of us at Drochaid Research and include the many heartfelt messages on LinkedIn space constraints prevent us. But we have ensured? that Brian has copies and read of all these lovely posts dedicated to him"

?The Scottish Fermentation Network’s 12th Meeting is a one-day conference on?sustainable bio-based chemicals production.?

The event is organized by?IBioIC?and aims to promote the production of bio-based chemicals in a?low carbon future??

The meeting was held at Strathclyde University’s Technology & Innovation Centre in early November ‘23.?

The conference was attended by professionals from academia and industry, who shared their knowledge and experiences in the field of bio-based chemicals production?

Dr Jianke Liu commented:

It’s wonderful to hear about the exciting developments in the biotechnology sector! Two particularly interesting areas of research areas practiced are:

Sustainable Biosynthesis of Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and Vanillin from PET Plastic Waste:

Dr Joanna Sadler from the University of Edinburgh is making strides in sustainable biosynthesis. She focuses on converting?PET plastic waste?into valuable compounds.

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a biodegradable polymer, can be produced from waste materials. It has applications in various fields, including packaging and medical devices.

Additionally, Dr. Sadler explores the biosynthesis of?vanillin, a key flavour compound found in vanilla. By utilizing PET waste, she contributes to a more circular economy.

This research aligns with the goal of achieving a?fossil-free future?by repurposing existing materials and reducing reliance on petrochemicals.

?Industrial Fermentation Processes for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS):

Dr Ellis Robb, of Ingenza, sheds light on innovative fermentation techniques.

One interesting case study involves?fixed bed continuous formate production technology, developed in collaboration with Johnson Matthey.

Formate, a chemical compound, has potential applications in energy storage and as a building block for other chemicals.

Drochaid supported the early phase research years ago carrying out biosynthesis under pressure using conventional autoclave chemical reactors.

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By harnessing microbial processes, this research contributes to a more sustainable and?fossil-free?future.

These efforts demonstrate how?biotechnology?might pave the way toward a cleaner, greener world.?“After all, the ability to convert inorganic carbon into valuable chemicals is fundamental to life as we know it”. Keep up the inspiring work!

?In January,?Cathy Dwyer?participated in the?Cardiff Catalysis Institute’s annual conference. The event drew a substantial audience of?UK and European academics?as well as industry representatives, underscoring the?CCI’s global impact?in the field of catalysis research. Notably, Cathy reconnected with familiar faces, including:

¨?Prof Graham Hutchings?from Cardiff University.

¨?Prof Phil Dyer?from Durham University.

¨?Dr Ronan Bellabarba?from Topsoe.

¨?Dr Michael Bender?from BASF.

The conference featured diverse presentations covering topics such as?interfacial and tandem catalysis,?computational chemistry, and?catalyst characterization studies. Attendees gained insights into the fundamental aspects of catalysts. The conference took place near the impressive?Translational Research Hub building, which houses most of the CCI’s research facilities. A highlight of Cathy’s visit was a guided tour of these cutting-edge labs, led by?Prof Duncan Wass.?

???? Synthesis of metal nanoparticles using microwave energy

???? Calcination of metal precursors in a microwave reactor

???? Facile removal of organic species from supports using microwave energy

Background

The past two decades have seen a significant increase in the use of microwave energy to carry out organic transformations. Microwave heating has been shown? to dramatically reduce reaction times from days to minutes, increase product yields and enhance product purities by reducing unwanted side reactions when compared to conventional heating?? methods.?

Apart from organic/medicinal chemistry this technology has penetrated several other fields? such as materials science, nanotechnology and biochemical processes.? Microwave? radiation?? directly?? and? rapidly?? heats? microwave? active molecules to high temperatures, quickly exceeding kinetic barriers? and dramatically accelerating reaction rates.

Challenge

Organic impurities from? the? surface of inorganic carriers used as supports are conventionally calcined in a furnace, requiring high temperatures (above 500 °C) to remove carbonaceous species.

In most? of the cases, metal salts impregnated on inorganic carriers require an air calcination step to produce metal oxides which are later treated? under specific conditions prior the reaction. This calcination step is usually carried out at high temperature (above 400 °C) and for several hours.

Well-defined metallic nanoparticles are? prepared? following colloidal protocols whose reaction times can vary between? minutes to several days depending on the metal and conditions.

??“Microwave is an effective alternative to the traditional heating,? enabling? higher? heating? rate, homogeneous heat distribution and remarkable energy? and time saving”? Dr David Brown

Derek Watson, the Chief Operating Officer, Quaestor, Factor of St Andrews Innovation, and member of the board of Drochaid, has been recognized for his outstanding contributions.

He was awarded an?MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire)?for his services to?Entrepreneurship and Sustainability. His dedication to fostering entrepreneurship and promoting sustainable practices has been acknowledged and celebrated. Derek expressed his gratitude, emphasizing the collective effort of the team at St Andrews Innovation and the Eden Campus.

Notably, the University of St Andrews has been at the forefront of sustainability initiatives, including the path to net zero, carbon sequestration through nature-based solutions, and biodiversity enhancement. Derek’s work exemplifies the leadership and positive impact that the University is making in these critical areas.??

?It’s good to hear that?Dr David Smith?had an enjoyable skiing holiday with his family in Austria.

Dr David Smith told us that he did not have a single fall—impressive.

Although it seems his daughter is quite the skiing prodigy, matching and easily surpassing her dad’s skills on the slopes.?

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