CEM and USEPA Enter into R&D Agreement
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CEM Corporation has announced that it has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The goal of the agreement is to develop large-scale, microwave chemistry methods for a wide variety of chemistries using solvents that are more environmentally friendly, such as water or polyethylene glycol (PEG).
These environmentally-friendly solvents could be employed to produce intermediates and products useful in the development of pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and nanomaterials.
Gordon M. Evans, Director of the Sustainable Technology Division at EPA’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory in Cincinnati, Ohio, said, "We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with CEM."
"As one of the world’s leading suppliers of microwave equipment, we appreciate their interest in working with Dr. Rajender S. Varma of our staff."
"We feel it’s a wonderful recognition of the pioneering research he’s conducted in this area and we are looking forward to this collaborative effort as a great way to advance the ideas of green chemistry and sustainability through the use of microwave-assisted chemical synthesis."
The EPA has developed chemical processes and solvent schemes that are significantly safer for the environment.
Under the terms of the research agreement, CEM will contribute the time of its scientists and apply existing technology or technology currently in development at the Company to establish scale-up protocols of EPA chemical processes.
Likewise, the EPA will also contribute the time of its scientists, and will provide required laboratory analysis in support of the project.
"Microwave energy is a highly-effective green chemistry technology," said Michael J. Collins, president and CEO of CEM Corporation.
"It is clean, fast, efficient, and applicable to numerous types of chemistries. We are looking forward to working with the EPA to expand the present scale range of microwave-assisted reactions and developing "greener" or more environmentally-friendly, methods for those reactions."
