2023
Saurabh Chitnis
Synthetic chemist addresses paradox of move away from fossil fuels

2023
Synthetic chemist addresses paradox of move away from fossil fuels
As a synthetic chemist, Saurabh Chitnis makes new molecules that can make our daily lives easier. It’s fundamental research with huge possibilities for the move away from fossil fuels.
Specifically, the Dalhousie University researcher and his team make molecules that are useful in two areas of life: industrial manufacturing and new materials. In recognition of the promise of his work, Dr. Chitnis is a 2023 recipient of the Sloan Fellowship.
Making objects typically requires a catalyst. “There’s a process that turns A into B, and we can develop a catalyst that lowers the energy cost of that,” he explains. “And that’s important because energy is emissions, energy is dollars.”
When it comes to making new objects, Dr. Chitnis points out that “any object that is made out of plastic was, at one point, a dinosaur. Because they are made from fossil fuel-based precursors. This is a problem because we’re divesting away from fossil fuels.
“If we’re turning away from fossil fuels for energy, but we also get all our materials from fossil fuels, then we have a paradox. We want to turn away from burning fossil fuels for energy, but we don’t want to eliminate fossil fuels entirely. Because what’s the point of having all the free energy in the world if you don’t have a chair to sit on?”
To solve the problem, Dr. Chitnis is developing molecules that allow the manufacture of polymers, like polyethylene, out of air. “It’s basically capturing nitrogen from the air and turning that into a chair, for example,” he says. But first they have to ensure that chair won’t explode.
“Typically, molecules made out of nitrogen tend to explode, because they want to go back to being oxygen and nitrogen gas,” he says. “So nitrogen as a basis for making materials is not a thing; nobody wants a chair that’s going to blow up. What we discovered, or what our key insight was, is how to make stable nitrogen-rich molecules. If you can make stable nitrogen-rich molecules, you’ve suddenly opened the door to using the nitrogen gas all around us, converting it into useful materials.”
Dr. Chitnis says he was thrilled to win the Sloan Fellowship, which recognizes fundamental science with the potential for a transformative influence on the world. “To me, there was a validation in that. It really puts a lot of wind in our sails. It tells us that we’re doing something good.”