Green chemistry

Green Chemistry is about reducing the impact of industry and manufacturing on the environment through the design of new chemical products and processes that are non-toxic, energy efficient and waste-free.

Monash researchers are tackling chemical pollution at the source by applying basic chemical, engineering, environmental and toxicological principles to the creation and use of compounds and materials.

As a result, the new technologies we help create are not just cleaner and greener, but also more efficient and more economically competitive than older, polluting processes.

Reducing toxicity in chemistry is critical to the production of safer products, and has flow-on benefits, including:

• reducing the cost of waste management
• simplifying compliance with environmental law
• creating safer workplaces, and
• curbing pollution. 

In a world of diminishing resources and energy, green chemistry will help provide the foundations for a future sustainable society.

Infrastructure

The Centre for Green Chemistry is an ARC Special Research Centre, established by the Australian Government in 2000. Located at our Clayton campus, it is closely associated with the Monash School of Chemistry and a broader research network that includes academia, government and industry around the world.

The Centre's budget grew from $1 million in its first year, to over $11.5 million in 2011. This continues to increase with greater industry engagement, and new funding from the Australian Government, including a $75 million building project for an expanded research facility Green Chemical Futures, to be constructed at Monash.

Working with industry

Once completed, the Green Chemical Futures project will provide additional resources for research and education, and provide a platform for work between academic, government and industry organisations based in Victoria, elsewhere in Australia and globally. This will encourage collaboration and help focus efforts to influence chemicals policy, future research and industrial uptake.

Contributing Capabilities

• Green analytical chemistry
• Green separation chemistry
• Cleaner synthesis - organic, inorganic and organometallic
• Catalysis and bio-catalysis
• Green electro- and photo-chemistry
• Green polymer chemistry
• Bioconversion - New materials from biomass
• Biomimetic devices
• Molecular imprint devices
• Nanomaterials
• Alternative solvents and reaction media
• Solid phase reaction systems
• Ionic liquids
• Green chemistry metrics
• Process intensification and assessment
• Professional education and training