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Open research questions in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

214 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 548 Chemistry and Chemical Engineering papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • targeted capacity building, - future catalyst design in sustainable ethylene production, - research on catalytic nanomaterials for environmental cleanup strategies

    Sustainable Catalysis for Green Chemistry and Energy Transition, 2nd Edition · 2026 · DOI

  • The gap is the need for sustainable catalysis solutions that can replace petroleum-derived routes with renewable-carbon alternatives. There is a lack of comprehensive overviews of the current state of the field. The paper identifies the need for targeted capacity building in areas where research remains nascent.

    Sustainable Catalysis for Green Chemistry and Energy Transition, 2nd Edition · 2026 · DOI

  • These findings suggest that systemic framing alone is insufficient for a molecular-level explanation and that deliberate scaffolding is needed to connect system-level behavior to chemical mechanisms.

    From everyday chemistry to formal modeling: a progressive approach to integrating systems thinking in chemistry · 2026 · DOI

  • This article presents the revised version of the model in a form in which it can be adopted, with practical guidance for teachers; its revised elements have not yet been tested in practice.

    An expert-informed pedagogical model for integrating systems thinking into sustainable chemistry teacher education · 2026 · DOI

  • The European Commission has recommended a framework for operationalizing SSbD, but many open questions remain regarding its feasibility and implementation.

    From Ambition to Action: Navigating Obstacles and Opportunities of “Safe and Sustainable by Design” · 2025 · DOI

  • While its abundance is well documented, few studies have addressed the chemical transformations of BPA, the properties of its reactive products, and their toxicity.

    Multiphase Ozonolysis of Bisphenol A: Chemical Transformations on Surfaces in the Environment · 2024 · DOI

  • This approach addresses the limitations of GSAI, which often lacks clear boundaries between green and non-green practices and does not account for the varying applicability of the 12 Green Chemistry principles across different contexts.

    A Modified Green Star Area (MoGSA) and software to assess greenness of reactions in the chemistry laboratories · 2024 · DOI

  • Currently, holistic methods that cover all impacts over the entire life cycle of pharmaceuticals are lacking.

    A holistic framework for integrated sustainability assessment of pharmaceuticals · 2024 · DOI

  • The marine environment presents a promising yet underexplored resource for the cosmetics industry, offering bioactive compounds with the potential for safe and biocompatible ingredients.

    Marine cosmetics and the blue bioeconomy: From sourcing to success stories · 2024 · DOI

  • The challenge of effectively integrating digital technologies in higher education. The challenge of bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in process design education. The challenge of developing students' digital competencies and deepening their understanding of sustainable chemical engineering.

    Enhancing Digital Skills for Sustainable Engineering: A Simulation-based Approach in Process Design · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies can investigate the long-term impact of simulation-based approaches on students' understanding of sustainable chemical engineering. Research can explore the use of other simulation software tools in process design education. Studies can examine the effectiveness of simulation-based approaches in other engineering disciplines.

    Enhancing Digital Skills for Sustainable Engineering: A Simulation-based Approach in Process Design · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the development of sustainable approaches in chemical synthesis. The study highlights the need for a comprehensive framework for implementing sustainable practices in chemical manufacturing.

    Sustainable Approaches in Chemical Synthesis: Innovations in Green Chemistry · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper does not provide a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impact of all analytical procedures. The development of green metrics is still in its early stages. The use of green sample preparation techniques may have limitations, such as droplet instability and limited capacity.

    Green Analytical Chemistry: An overview of Principles, Evolution, Future Perspectives toward Sustainable Pharmaceutical and Environmental Analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • The development of new green metrics and sample preparation techniques. The application of Green Analytical Chemistry to various fields, including pharmaceutical and environmental analysis. The evaluation of the environmental impact of analytical procedures using green metrics.

    Green Analytical Chemistry: An overview of Principles, Evolution, Future Perspectives toward Sustainable Pharmaceutical and Environmental Analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • The environmental drawbacks of traditional extraction approaches. The need for a holistic greenness assessment of methods. The development of more sustainable approaches to herbal drug development.

    A COMPUTATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR MODERN HERBAL DRUG DEVELOPMENT: "GREEN EXTRACTION AND EFFECTIVE GREENNESS METRICS" · 2026 · DOI

  • GAPI does not produce a single numerical total score for each procedure. The need for a holistic greenness assessment of methods.

    A COMPUTATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR MODERN HERBAL DRUG DEVELOPMENT: "GREEN EXTRACTION AND EFFECTIVE GREENNESS METRICS" · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the development of green energy solutions related to the environmental and resource-related problems arising from the growing volumes of waste generated by clean energy technologies.

    “Green Chemistry” For “Green Energy” · 2026 · DOI

  • long-term safety and sustainability of the resource base for “green energy” development. to ensure to Êeywords: energy resource base, rare earth elements, global mining, nuclear efficiency. ВВЕДЕНИЕ «Íîîñôåðà åñòü íîâîå ãåîëîãè÷åñêîå ÿâëåíèå íà íàøåé ïëàíåòå.  íåé âïåðâûå ÷åëîâåê ñòàíîâèòñÿ êðóïíåéøåé ãåîëîãè÷åñêîé ñèëîé. Îí ìîæåò è äîëæåí ïåðåñòðàèâàòü ñâîèì òðóäîì è ìûñëüþ îáëàñòü ñâîåé æèçíè, ïåðåñòðàèâàòü êîðåííûì îáðàçîì ïî ñðàâíåíèþ ñ òåì, ÷òî áûëî ðàíüøå. Ïåðåä íèì îòêðûâàþòñÿ âñ¸ áîëåå è áîëåå øèðîêèå òâîð÷åñêèå âîçìîæíîñòè. È, ìîæåò áûòü, ïîêîëåíèå ìîåé âíó÷êè óæå ïðèáëèçèòñÿ ê èõ ðàñöâåòó», – ïèñàë âåëèêèé ðîññèéñêèé ôèëîñîô è åñòåñòâîè- ñïûòàòåëü Â.È. Âåðíàäñêèé â çíàìåíèòîé ðàáîòå “Íåñêîëüêî ñëîâ î íîîñôåðå” (Âåðíàäñêèé, 1944). «Ïîêîëåíèå âíó÷êè» – ýòî íûíåøíåå âðåìÿ, è ñåé÷àñ íàäî ïîïûòàòüñÿ îòâåòèòü íà ñëåäóþùèå âîïðîñû:  êàêîé ñòåïåíè ìû ïðèáëèçèëèñü ê ðàñöâåòó òâîð÷åñêèõ âîçìîæíîñòåé ÷åëîâåêà? Êàê «êîðåííûì îáðàçîì» ïåðåñòðàèâàåòñÿ áèîñôå- ðà ïîä âëèÿíèåì ÷åëîâåêà? Ìàñøòàáû ÷åëîâå÷åñêîé äåÿòåëüíîñòè âîçðîñëè ñ ñåðåäèíû 20-ãî âåêà íàñòîëüêî ðåçêî, ÷òî îòíîñè- òåëüíî ñòàáèëüíàÿ îêðóæàþùàÿ ñðåäà ýïîõè ãîëîöåíà, åäèíñòâåííîãî ïåðèîäà ñóùåñòâîâàíèÿ ïëàíåòû, äëÿ êîòîðîãî èçâåñòíî, ÷òî îí ìîæåò ïîääåðæèâàòü ôóíêöèîíèðîâàíèå ñîâðåìåííîãî ÷åëîâå÷åñêîãî îáùåñòâà, â íàñòîÿùåå âðåìÿ ïðåòåðïåâàåò ñóùåñòâåííûå èçìåíåíèÿ. Òî÷êîé ãåîëîãè÷åñêîé ýïîõè, êîòîðàÿ îòñ÷åòà íîâîé ïîëó÷èëà íàçâàíèå àíòðîïîöåí, ïðèíÿòî ñ÷èòàòü ãîäû íà÷àëà “Âåëèêîãî Óñêîðåíèÿ” – 1950-1952 ãã. (Crutzen, 2002; Steffen et al., 2015). Íà ýòîé ñòàäèè àíàëèçà è îáñóæäåíèÿ ïðîãíîçà Â.È. Âåðíàäñêîãî ìîæíî ñêàçàòü: «Äà, ïðîãíîç ñáûëñÿ». Äåéñòâè- òåëüíî, ÷åëîâåê ñåãîäíÿ â ñîñòîÿíèè ìåíÿòü îêðóæàþùóþ ñðåäó â òàêîé æå ñòåïåíè, êàê è ãåîëî- ãè÷åñêèå ñèëû ïðèðîäû. Íàñòóïèâøèé àíòðîïîöåí ïðèíåñ ñ ñîáîé ðÿä äîòîëå íåâèäàííûõ ãëîáàëüíûõ ïðîáëåì: êîíå÷íîñòü ðÿäà ïðèðîäíûõ ðåñóðñîâ, ãëîáàëüíîå èçìåíåíèå êëèìàòà, äåãðàäàöèÿ ñèñòåì ïîääåðæàíèÿ æèçíè íà Çåìëå è äðóãèõ. Ðåàêöèåé íàó÷íîãî ñîîáùåñòâà ÿâèëîñü ñîçäà- íèå êîìïüþòåðíûõ ìîäåëåé âîçìîæíûõ òðàåêòîðèé ðàçâèòèÿ áóäóùåãî ÷åëîâå÷åñêîé öèâèëèçàöèè.  ÷àñòíîñòè, ðåçóëüòàòû ïîñòðîåíèÿ ïðîãíîçîâ ñ ïîìîùüþ ìîäåëè World3 (å¸ àâòîðû Äîíåëëà Ìåäîóç, Äåííèñ Ìåäîóç, Éîðãåí Ðàíäåðñ è Óèëüÿì Áåðåíñ III) ïîêàçàëè, ÷òî ïðè ñóùåñòâóþùåì óðîâíå ïîòðåáëåíèÿ è îãðàíè÷åííûõ ðåñóðñàõ â ñåðåäèíå 20-õ ãîäîâ 21-ãî âåêà (òî÷êà íàøåãî ñåãîäíÿ) ìîæåò íàáëþäàòüñÿ ñåðèÿ êðèçèñíûõ ÿâëåíèé, óãðîæàþùèõ ñóùåñòâîâàíèþ öèâèëèçàöèè. Ðåçóëü- òàòû ìîäåëèðîâàíèÿ áûëè îïóáëèêîâàíû â ìîíîãðàôèè “The Limits to Growth” â 1972 ãîäó (Meadows et al., 1972). Êíèãà ïðîèçâåëà íàñòîÿùèé âçðûâ â îáùåñòâå è ÿâèëàñü ïðîëîãîì ïîÿâëåíèÿ êîíöåïöèè óñòîé÷èâîãî ðàçâèòèÿ êàê àëüòåðíàòèâû «àíòðîïîöåíó». Ðàçðàáîòêà èäåé óñòîé÷èâîãî 1.

    “Green Chemistry” For “Green Energy” · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research is needed to develop and apply the framework in a variety of contexts. Research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the framework in ensuring that AI-enabled chemistry supports sustainable development and environmental protection. Research is needed to explore the application of the framework in other domains, such as materials design and environmental monitoring.

    Data equity for sustainable chemistry: an informatics governance framework for responsible chemical innovation and environmental justice · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of equity in environmental and chemical data infrastructures. The need for a framework to embed equity into environmental and chemical data infrastructures. The importance of ensuring that AI-enabled chemistry supports sustainable development and environmental protection.

    Data equity for sustainable chemistry: an informatics governance framework for responsible chemical innovation and environmental justice · 2026 · DOI

  • High initial implementation costs, technological limitations, and regulatory barriers hinder widespread adoption. Limited regulatory enforcement, financial constraints, and lack of technical expertise are challenges in developing economies.

    Green Chemistry Approaches in Industrial Processes: A Systematic Review · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for further research on the implementation of green chemistry approaches in industrial processes. The review highlights the importance of addressing technological limitations and high initial implementation costs.

    Green Chemistry Approaches in Industrial Processes: A Systematic Review · 2026 · DOI

  • The development of more efficient and sustainable approaches in organic chemistry. The integration of AI and machine learning in organic chemistry. The creation of greener and scalable solvents in industry.

    Organic Chemistry In The 21st Century: Design, Reactivity, And Function · 2026 · DOI

  • The need for highly vigorous yet generalizable catalysts. The creation of greener and scalable solvents in industry. The integration of AI models with experiments.

    Organic Chemistry In The 21st Century: Design, Reactivity, And Function · 2026 · DOI

  • Development of new green solvents and energy-efficient methods - Validation of new eco-friendly analysis methods - Application of Green Analytical Chemistry in various fields

    TRANSFORMING ANALYTICAL SCIENCE: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF GREEN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY · 2026 · DOI

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214 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 548 Chemistry and Chemical Engineering papers in our 4.5M-paper local library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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