Inactivation of human coronaviruses using an automated room disinfection device.

The emergence of more virulent and epidemic strains of viruses, especially in the context of COVID-19, makes it more important than ever to improve methods of decontamination. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of on-demand production of chlorine species to inactivate human coronaviruses. The commercial prototype disinfection unit was provided by Unipolar Water Technologies.

Insulating Composites Made from Sulfur, Canola Oil, and Wool*.

An insulating composite was made from the sustainable building blocks wool, sulfur, and canola oil. In the first stage of the synthesis, inverse vulcanization was used to make a polysulfide polymer from the canola oil triglyceride and sulfur. This polymerization benefits from complete atom economy.

Synthesis and Applications of Polymers Made by Inverse Vulcanization.

Elemental sulfur is an abundant and inexpensive chemical feedstock, yet it is underused as a starting material in chemical synthesis. Recently, a process coined inverse vulcanization was introduced in which elemental sulfur is converted into polymers by ring-opening polymerization, followed by cross-linking with an unsaturated organic molecule such as a polyene. The resulting materials have high sulfur content (typically 50-90% sulfur by mass) and display a range of interesting properties such as dynamic S-S bonds, redox activity, high refractive indices, mid-wave IR transparency, and heavy metal affinity.

Polysulfides made from re-purposed waste are sustainable materials for removing iron from water.

Water contaminated with Fe is undesirable because it can result in discoloured plumbing fixtures, clogging, and a poor taste and aesthetic profile for drinking water. At high levels, Fe can also promote the growth of unwanted bacteria, so environmental agencies and water authorities typically regulate the amount of Fe in municipal water and wastewater. Here, polysulfide sorbents-prepared from elemental sulfur and unsaturated cooking oils-are used to remove Fe contaminants from water.