2018 ACS Award for Affordable Green Chemistry 2018 Recipient: Dr. Bala Subramaniam
The 2018 ACS Award for Affordable Green Chemistry was presented to Dr. Bala Subramaniam, a chemical engineering professor at the University of Kansas. The award recognized his work in developing cleaner, more efficient chemical processes that reduce waste and energy use while keeping costs low.
The Research
Dr. Subramaniam’s group focuses on using carbon dioxide as a reaction medium instead of traditional organic solvents. One of the team’s key achievements is a process for making ibuprofen that uses a solid catalyst and compressed CO₂. This method eliminates corrosive liquid acids and reduces hazardous waste compared to older routes. The process also runs at lower temperatures, saving energy. Because CO₂ is cheap and widely available, the approach keeps manufacturing costs competitive.
A second area of work involves producing chemicals from plant-based feedstocks. Dr. Subramaniam’s lab developed a way to convert glycerol—a byproduct of biodiesel production—into propylene glycol, a common antifreeze and food additive. The reaction uses a copper catalyst and runs under mild conditions, turning a low-value waste stream into a useful product.
Industrial Impact
The ibuprofen process was scaled up with industry partners. It uses a heterogeneous catalyst that can be filtered out and reused, cutting the salt waste stream dramatically. The CO₂ is captured from industrial sources, so it does not add new carbon to the atmosphere. The same CO₂-based approach has been applied to other reactions, such as oxidizing cyclohexane to produce nylon precursors, where compressed CO₂ suppressed unwanted byproducts and raised the yield.
Key Takeaways
- Dr. Bala Subramaniam received the 2018 ACS Award for Affordable Green Chemistry for designing processes that minimize waste and energy use.
- His research uses compressed carbon dioxide as a green solvent, replacing toxic liquids in reactions like ibuprofen synthesis.
- The team converts glycerol from biodiesel waste into propylene glycol, improving the economics of biofuel production.
- The award highlights industrial chemistry that reduces environmental impact without raising production costs.
