Trailblazing Sustainability and Innovation: Announcing the 2024 SCGC-FIRST Awards Recipients

The SCG Chemicals (SCGC)-FIRST Prioritisation Panel has revealed the recipients of the second round of SCGC-FIRST Awards, showcasing exceptional research driving innovation and sustainability across the MPLS Division. This year’s awardees tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from plastic waste to energy efficiency and renewable technologies.

Pioneering Sustainable Food Packaging with Advanced Coatings

Prof Robert Hoye Department of Chemistry

Prof Ruy Bonilla Osorio, Materials Science

Plastic waste is a global crisis, with over 300 million tonnes produced annually and less than 10% recycled. While biodegradable materials offer a potential solution for food packaging, they often fail to provide the necessary barriers against water and oxygen. Professors Hoye and Bonilla Osorio are transforming this landscape with ultra-low permeability oxide coatings applied to biodegradable polymers using a cutting-edge printing technique, spatial atomic layer deposition (SALD). Their technology, developed through NanoPrint, offers unparalleled protection and performance, promising to revolutionise the £800 billion flexible packaging industry.

Turbocharging Catalysis for Energy-Efficient Processes

Prof Rosic Budimir  Engineering Science

Dr Dylan Rubini  Engineering Science

Catalysis underpins industries ranging from ammonia production to emissions control and plays a critical role in the energy transition. Professors Budimir and Rubini are reimagining catalytic systems with a ground-breaking innovation: the turbo-reactor. By integrating catalytic surfaces, pumps, and thermal controls into a compact turbomachine, this project has the potential to dramatically reduce energy losses and system size. Using a machine-learning tool, ChemZIP, the team aims to streamline the modelling of complex chemical reactions, enabling faster, more efficient design of catalytic systems.

Discovering Next-Generation Solar Materials

Prof Simon Clarke, Department of Chemistry

Prof Ludmilla Steier, Department of Chemistry

Prof Robert Hoye, Department of Chemistry

Solar energy and sustainable chemicals are key to achieving global sustainability goals. This project focuses on developing innovative solar materials—alkaline earth zirconium sulphide and selenide perovskites and related compounds. These semiconductors possess ideal properties for solar applications but require deeper investigation to fully understand their structures and how they influence performance. Professors Clarke, Steier, and Hoye will explore how factors such as ion distribution and crystal distortions affect the materials’ optoelectronic properties. The research aims to identify optimal compositions, including thin-film development, to advance solar light harvesting and catalysis. This work aligns with SCGC’s commitment to sustainability and photovoltaics.