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Commercially available methacrylates often contain derivates of bisphenol A (BPA), a known human endocrine disruptor and petrochemical derived compound; therefore, alternatives are being investigated to increase sustainability and reduce toxicity. An asymmetric, bio-based bisphenol, VAC, was synthesized via an electrophilic aromatic condensation of vanillyl alcohol and cardanol. The alkyl side chain of VAC was subsequently hydrogenated to yield VAHC to determine the effects of side chain unsaturation on material properties. These bisphenols were methacrylated to prepare VACDM and VAHCDM, blended with a reactive diluent, cured, and compared to BPA dimethacrylate (BPADM), bio-based bisguaiacol dimethacrylate (BGDM), and a commercial BPA based vinyl ester (VE828). Resins containing VACDM and VAHCDM have reduced viscosities relative to BGDM and both BPA-based dimethacrylates, and the unsaturation on the side chain was shown to provide further reduced viscosities. Cured resins with VACDM and VAHCDM exhibit directly comparable thermal stability in both inert and oxidative environments, and decreased glass-transition temperatures due to increased aliphatic character relative to BPA-based resins. The toughness of the thermosets comprised of the bio-based bisphenols were greater than that of BPADM, where the alkyl substituent was shown to impart toughness into the network, yet the level of side chain saturation shows minimal effect on fracture toughness.

Solvents are commonly used in both fine chemicals and pharmaceutical industries to aid chemical reactions and purification of products. In pharmaceutical industries, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are often formulated in batch organic reactions that utilize solvents as a reaction medium, which can vary depending on the process and physical properties of the system. The combined contribution of the current solvent usage rate and common solvent disposal method such as incineration can release toxic chemicals to the environment. The potential detrimental effects on the environment and safety considerations required the implementation and optimization of existing solvent recovery technologies to improve the greenness and overall sustainability of a given chemical process. To assess the feasible recovery pathways, General Algebraic Modeling Systems (GAMS) was employed to formulate and solve the optimization problem comprising of mathematical models that focus on the material and energy balance, utility requirements, equipment design, and costing around common separation and recovery technologies such as distillation, ultrafiltration, membranes, evaporation, and extraction. This work is part of the US EPA funded P2 (pollution prevention) project where the goal is to consult with industries and perform typical case-by-case analysis to develop a roadmap for selecting the best pathway for solvent recovery that minimizes cost, reduces the environmental impact, limits waste, and maintains safe operation.