Chemical biology touches every aspect of our lives, from batteries, catalysts and nanotechnology to biotechnology and solving environmental problems. In this article, we take a look at how chemical biology is revolutionizing our lives and changing the future.
Chemical Biology and the World of High Technology
Most of the things people use in their daily lives contain science and technology. Science and technology are used in televisions, microwaves, audio systems, cell phones, and even individual fluorescent light bulbs. Among these technologies, chemical engineering is one that is widely used. Chemical engineering is used in countless ways, including the process of producing light from fluorescent lamps, liquid crystal displays used in LCD monitors, televisions, and cell phones, and batteries that use electrochemistry. The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering is where this chemical engineering is studied.
As you can see from the name, the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering does not only study chemical engineering. It also covers the fields of biotechnology and environmental biology in addition to chemical engineering. The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering is a place that strives to create new knowledge at the intersection of chemistry and biology and to improve the quality of human life by applying it to real life. From now on, I will explain our major in more detail.
In our department, the choice of major can be divided into the field of chemical engineering and the field of biological engineering. In the case of chemical engineering, it can be further divided into basic science and engineering science. The basic science is divided into organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and polymer properties, and the engineering science is divided into various fields such as catalysts, electricity, batteries, and process engineering and design.
Importance of Chemical Engineering
In the field of engineering and technology, let’s take the battery mentioned in the introduction as an example. There are many batteries in the market. Batteries are used in the cell phones we commonly use, and they are also used to start the car. The battery built into the computer also keeps the clock running when the computer is turned off. Hybrid cars, which are currently in the limelight, are also products that use these batteries to reduce the amount of oil used. The fields of electrochemistry and batteries are the fields that research and manufacture these batteries. Electrochemistry is the study of what materials and mechanisms can be used to create long-lasting and powerful batteries. Of course, these batteries include the small batteries we commonly use, industrial batteries, and even solar batteries. In addition, the fields of electrochemistry and batteries are where most of the mechanisms of electricity are studied.
One of the most popular areas of chemical engineering is the field of catalysts. A catalyst is an ingredient that changes the rate of a chemical reaction without changing the reaction itself. We can see this in the process of converting harmful components in factory smoke and car exhaust into harmless components such as carbon dioxide. There are different types of catalysts and their performance varies, so research is actively underway to develop efficient catalysts. In addition, process design and research to more efficiently handle the processes that actually occur in factories is one of the areas of our major.
Basic science is a field that focuses on chemistry in the natural sciences. Organic synthesis, inorganic chemistry, and polymer properties are typical examples. In the case of organic synthesis, it is a field that studies the mechanism of reactions between molecules, or synthesis or decomposition to recycle the waste generated in the petrochemical process. In addition, this synthesis process is used to create polymer materials and to determine the properties of the polymer. On the other hand, there is also a field that studies the characteristics of materials by making the particle size into the nanoscale. In fact, it is very difficult to observe the properties of molecular-sized materials in the chemical field because they are difficult to see with the naked eye. They also have many properties that do not conform to the laws of physics that we generally think of. In the case of gold, it generally has a golden color, but when the size of the molecules is reduced, it can also have a red or blue color. When particles are made at the nanoscale, the properties of the particles, the properties of the polymer, and the properties of the visible world are all different, so research is being done in these areas.
The role of bioengineering
In the field of bioengineering, there are areas such as biotechnology and environmental biology. Biotechnology is a field that emerged a few years ago when the issue of cell cloning became widely known to society. Biotechnology is the field of stem cell research as well as cell cloning. Stem cell research is currently receiving a great deal of attention in the medical community and is opening up the possibility of treating various incurable diseases. Environmental biology is a field that studies microorganisms, water pollution, or environmental pollution in the field. Recently, environmental biology has become very important as environmental pollution has emerged as a problem. Various biological methods are being studied to solve environmental problems, and they are becoming an essential element for sustainable development.
The future of chemical and biological engineering
In fact, chemical and biological engineering are indispensable in the world we live in. If chemical engineering had not been developed, we would have experienced many inconveniences in our daily lives. A life without televisions, cell phones, or automobiles would continue to exist. Chemical engineering is deeply rooted in our lives, and it will be used in more and more fields and throughout society. The development of chemical engineering will not only improve our standard of living, but also play an important role in the development of new industries and economic growth.
Biotechnology will also have a significant impact on our lives. There are endless applications for biotechnology, including medical research for healthy living, biological methods for environmental protection, and genetic research to increase agricultural productivity. Chemical and biological engineering will continue to make significant contributions to human welfare, environmental protection, and industrial development. Through such research and development, we will create a better future.
