PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES AND LABORATORY

The course is part of the related-integrative training activities of the master's degree course in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, dedicated to the problems related to the concept of sustainability.
The general educational objective of the course is to provide knowledge that allows the student to assess sustainability and efficiency in relation to the principles of sustainable chemistry and the circular economy.
The specific training objective of the course is to provide advanced knowledge on renewable resources and sustainable process development methods for obtaining products and materials through a bottom up approach starting from the structural characteristics of biomass and their components and continuing in the design of possible enhancement processes up to obtaining key products and materials with high added value.

1. Knowledge and understanding
• Knowledge about the fundamental problems associated with the development of sustainable processes and the use of renewable sources.
• Knowledge about the main sources of renewable resources and their specific nature.
Knowledge of the structure and reactivity of the main components of biomass.
• Knowledge about the main products synthesized from renewable resources and the related processes.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
• Ability to use the laws and chemical concepts learned to solve theoretical and practical problems in a logical and deductive way.
• Ability to carry out the critical processing of data in the scientific literature to be made explicit by writing a final scientific report that is consistent in identifying the problem, analyzing the approaches developed and in the final conclusions.
3. Ability to judge
• Ability to assess the sustainability and environmental impact of chemical and material production processes.
4. Communication skills
• Ability to communicate the knowledge learned and the result of its application using appropriate terminology, both orally and written.
• Ability to interact with the teacher and classmates in a respectful and constructive way, especially during team work.
6. Learning skills
• Ability to take notes, selecting and collecting information according to the specific importance and priority.
• Ability to be sufficiently independent in the collection of bibliographic data

The student must have solid knowledge of the structure, properties and reactivity of organic and inorganic compounds. Catalysis principles.

In relation to the educational objectives and expected learning outcomes, reported in the relevant sections, the course contents can be divided as follows:
• Renewable biomass.
• Plant biomass.
• Principles of biorefinery. Biotechnology in biorefinery.
• Wood, cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, extractives: Structures, isolation analysis.
• Products derived from the pyrolysis of wood.
• Cellulose derivatives. Liquid cellulose crystals.
• Production of chemical feedstocks from hemicellulose. Hydrogel. Furanoid polymers
• Pyrolysis of lignin, lignin in PVC, thermoplastics from lignin, resins, carbon fibers
• Extracts of wood in the production of chemicals
• Nanotechnology of plant biomass.

Laboratory activity:
Biomass fractionation
Analysis of biomass components
Preparation of biopolymers nanodispersions

• Biorefineries: An Introduction
Series: De Gruyter Textbook Edited by: Michele Aresta, Angela Dibenedetto and Franck Dumeignil. De Gruyter 2015 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110331585 ISBN: 978-3-11-033153-0
• Platform Chemical Biorefinery. Future Green Industry. Book • 2017
Edited by: Satinder Kaur Brar, Saurabh Jyoti Sarma and Kannan Pakshirajan
ISBN 978-0-12-802980-0. Elsevier. DOI. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2014-0-02394-5
• Supporting material available on moodle.

The expected method of verification of learning is divided into two tests: oral test and scientific report. The oral test is divided into a series of questions (3 - 5) on various aspects of the program reported in the "Contents" section: the student must thus demonstrate both the learning of the topics covered in class, the ability to present them in a formal way and to be able to develop logical links between the various sections of the program. The oral test lasts about 30 minutes. The scientific report will concern the group activity assigned by the teacher which will consist in carrying out a bibliographic research regarding a relevant topic in the biomass valorization sector, the description of the general problem, the possible sustainable approaches and the validity of the possible solutions reported in the scientific literature. Finally the student will draft, under the teacher's supervision, a research project proposal. The report will be presented to the class in the form of a powerpoint presentation and in a written report, will constitute 40% of the final mark. The report must be delivered at least one week before the oral exam.

The grading scale (method by which grades will be assigned) will be defined as follows:
A. Scores in the 18-22 range will be awarded when there is evidence of:
Sufficient knowledge and applied comprehension regarding the course material;
Limited ability to collect and/or interpret data, with some autonomous judgment;
Adequate communication skills, especially in the use of specific language relevant to chemistry.
B. Scores in the 23-26 range will be awarded when there is evidence of:
Fair knowledge and applied comprehension regarding the course material;
Fair ability to collect and/or interpret data, with autonomous judgment;
Fair communication skills, especially in the use of specific language relevant to chemistry.
C. Scores in the 27-30 range will be awarded when there is evidence of:
Good or excellent knowledge and applied comprehension regarding the course material;
Good or excellent ability to collect and/or interpret data, with autonomous judgment;
Fully appropriate communication skills, especially in the use of specific language relevant to chemistry.
D. Honors will be awarded in cases of outstanding knowledge and applied comprehension regarding the course material, excellent judgment skills, and excellent communication abilities.

The teaching is organized in:
•frontal teaching;
• transversal learning. Students, divided into groups of 4-5 people, will elaborate a topic selected by the teacher on the basis of bibliographical references and present it to the class.

Italian

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion
Accommodation and Support Services for students with disabilities or with specific learning disabilities: Ca 'Foscari applies Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) for support and accommodation services available to students with disabilities or with disabilities. specific learning disabilities. In the case of motor, visual, hearing or other disabilities (Law 17/1999) or a specific learning disorder (Law 170/2010) and support is needed (classroom assistance, technological aids for carrying out exams or individualized exams, accessible format material, notes recovery, specialist tutoring in support of the study, interpreters or other), contact the Disability and DSA office disita@unive.it.

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