Bio-Catalysis
RASEI Researchers are using bio-catalysis in a number of ways to support the clean energy transition. Bio-catalysis offers a renewable, energy efficient, low waste, and affordable strategy for the synthesis of fine chemicals and commodities. The synthesis of many chemicals requires high temperatures, excess reagents and significant energy input, producing large amounts of difficult to remove waste by-products. If this can be replaced by a bio-chemical process that can be done at mild temperatures, with little to no waste and in a selective manner, this could provide significant energy savings for the chemical industry and society at large.
Many bio-organisms have been performing carbon capture for many millions of years. If we can harness the ability of cyanobacteria, who take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen, then we have an effective way to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.
Research at RASEI explores new ways to employ bio-catalytic processes to produce fine chemicals. Researchers are developing ways to harness the cyanobacteria’s ability to capture carbon in helping address pollution. Researchers are also exploring the use of bioplastics and biopolymers as alternatives to our current oil-derived plastic economy, since these could be broken down easier and come from renewable resources.