78866 - Product Design 4

Academic Year 2017/2018

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will know the requirement of alternative products for the chemical industry that are more socially welcomed and less problematic but still highly performing. He/she will be aware of the required patenting and protection of intellectual property rights as tools for boosting innovation. Biocatalytic processes will be chosen as examples of important tools to be applied in the development of new chemicals and in their production. The student is expected to be able to: 1. Design new alternative products for the chemical industry exploiting the principles of Green chemistry; 2. Forecast the requirements for their patenting; Understand and apply the basics of biocatalysis.

Course contents

In this module the basic information on the most important aspects of intellectual property rights is addressed.

The claim structure is covered, and examples of patents based on organic molecular materials (pharmaceuticals, pigments, agrochemicals, food additives) are provided. Arguments and possible decisions regarding the IP strategy are discussed, based on examples of patents.

The concepts of Sustainable Chemistry. The Principles of Green Chemistry. Voluntary and compulsory regulation of chemical products. The general features of a green product and the most critical fields requiring the development of alternative green products.

The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award will be described and some of the most successful innovations awarded will be critically examined. Some case examples will be deepened. Green Pesticides as successful alternative products

Principles of US and EU administrative and regulatory laws concerning chemicals and chemical protection

Case law analysis regarding critical legal issues (such as causation, in fact and legal)

Aspects of governance for the US and for the EU, including the role of Member States

Similarities and dissimilarities in these two systems

Office hours

See the website of Emilio Tagliavini

See the website of

See the website of Alessandra Tolomelli