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RASEI researchers are using bio-catalysis in a number of ways to support energy efficiencies and routes to a modern energy economy. Bio-catalysis offers an energy-efficient, low-waste, and cost-effective strategy for synthesizing fine chemicals and commodity materials. Traditional chemical synthesis often requires high temperatures, excess reagents, and significant energy input, producing large amounts of difficult-to-remove waste by-products. Bio-catalytic processes can achieve the same results at mild temperatures, with minimal waste and high selectivity. This translates to substantial energy savings and reduced production costs for the chemical industry, benefits that can lower prices for end products and end users across multiple sectors.

Bio-organisms have evolved highly efficient carbon transformation processes over millions of years. Cyanobacteria, for example, naturally capture carbon dioxide and convert it into useful organic compounds while producing oxygen. Harnessing these biological systems offers a practical approach to capturing and utilizing carbon that would otherwise contribute to atmospheric buildup, while simultaneously producing valuable chemical feedstocks.

Research at RASEI explores new ways to employ bio-catalytic processes to produce fine chemicals and materials more efficiently. Researchers are developing methods to harness cyanobacteria's carbon capture capabilities to address industrial emissions and create useful products. Teams are also exploring bioplastics and biopolymers as alternatives to petroleum-derived plastics, to produce materials that can be manufactured more efficiently, break down more readily in the environment, and are derived from abundant biological sources rather than fossil fuels.