Chris Slootweg appointed professor of Circular Chemistry
3 September 2024
The appointment of Slootweg follows his unwavering commitment to sustainable and circular chemistry as an associate professor at UvA’s Van ‘t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences since 2017. He coined the concept of circular chemistry in a highly cited paper in Nature Chemistry, is editor-in-chief of a journal dedicated to Sustainability and Circularity and is a frequently invited speaker at conferences on the future of chemistry.
The concept of Circular Chemistry expands the scope of sustainable chemistry to the entire life cycle of chemical products. It combines the concept of green chemistry (focussing on reducing waste and pollution) with an emphasis on resource efficiency and recycling. Adding to this, Slootweg advocates an approach of safe and sustainable-by-design (SSbD) prioritizing product life cycle safety and sustainability. ‘Molecules and materials must be produced green, materials and products should be used circularly, and at all times the substances must be safe for humans and the environment.’
Phosphorus and hydrogen
In his research, Slootweg combines state-of-the-art synthetic chemistry, mechanistic design and computational chemistry with the aim to develop novel functional molecules with unique properties based on renewable resources. An important topic in his group is the chemistry of phosphorus, advancing the sustainability and circularity of benign phosphorus compounds
Molecules and materials must be produced green, materials and products should be used circularly, and at all times the substances must be safe for humans and the environment.
He is the co-founder and scientific advisor of SusPhos BV, a pioneering company focused on upcycling phosphate-rich waste streams. Another focus in his research is the development of circular hydrogen storage materials that will enable the safe and large-scale transport of hydrogen. Among chemists, his laboratory is recognized for studying single-electron processes in main-group (photo)chemistry to promote the homolytic bond activation and subsequent functionalisation of challenging small molecules.
Focus on knowledge transfer and education
As professor of Circular Chemistry, Slootweg aims to further expand his research in the areas mentioned. He also will focus on science-based circular technologies to target the conservation of critical raw materials, combatting element scarcity and solving pressing waste problems. Another challenge he plans to take on is linking the molecular design, synthesis and catalysis of chemical compounds with their environmental fate and impact. For this he proposes to combine the approaches of safe by design (no persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic compounds; green chemistry) and design for re-use, recovery and recycling (circular chemistry).
Central to Slootweg’s work is actively pursuing knowledge transfer: ‘I enjoy very much the integrative approach of creating new findings through novel and original research, and transferring this knowledge in education and valorisation efforts.’ This drive led him to co-initiate the new Bachelor’s programme in Science, Technology & Innovation that just started this year. He currently serves as the director of the programme that focuses on creating solutions to today's societal challenges, integrating the natural sciences, computer science and engineering.