Learning from nature in building sustainable chemical technology

摘要

Increasing the efficiency of processes and products, in harmony with our environment, is essential in building a sustainable future. Geometry and chemistry in nature are interwoven in an intelligent way, from microscopic molecules to the macroscopic world. Nature's organized patterns on multiple length scales serve an important role in the efficiency of material and energy distribution and collection, and in biochemical processes. Hence nature is our quintessential teacher in realizing sustainable chemical technologies. Examples are given of nature-inspired, multiphase processes that help to circumvent classical chemical engineering problems, such as difficulties to scale-up and control, as well as transport and transfer limitations.