BCGC Portfolio

Greener Solutions 2025: Safer materials for Printed Circuit Boards

Link to Final Presentation

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) form the backbone of modern electronics, yet the materials that give them strength and insulation often rely on hazardous chemistries. The most common substrate, FR-4, is a fiberglass-reinforced epoxy containing compounds such as bisphenol A (BPA), epichlorohydrin, and BADGE—chemicals linked to carcinogenicity, endocrine disruption, and environmental persistence. This project challenged the team to explore safer alternatives to FR-4 that maintain the demanding...

Greener Solutions 2025: Sustainable Solvents for Lubricating Sprays

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Link to FInal Presentation

In developed countries like the USA, approximately 80% of households own a spray lubricant. The products are ubiqutious and versatile, however their performance relies on petroleum-derived solvents that contribute to volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, environmental persistence, and potential human health hazards. This project challenged the team to explore safer, bio-based alternatives to...

Greener Solutions 2025: Safer Chemicals for Long Term Fire Retardants

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Long-term flame retardants (LTFRs) are a critical tool for slowing the spread of wildfires, but the chemicals currently used—primarily ammonium phosphate—can wash into nearby waterways, contributing to eutrophication and harming aquatic ecosystems. Additional formulation components, including synthetic dyes and trace metals, raise further environmental and occupational health concerns. This project...

Greener Solutions 2025: Safer Materials for Nanoscrubbers

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Magic Erasers are widely used for tough cleaning, but the melamine-formaldehyde foam they rely on sheds millions of microplastic particles during use—introducing persistent plastics and toxic chemicals into homes and the environment. This project challenged the team to design a safer alternative cleaning sponge that preserves the Magic Eraser’s powerful nanoscale scrubbing mechanism while...

Greener Solutions 2025: Plastic Free Packaging for Home Cleaning Products

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Laundry detergent bottles are typically made from plastics like HDPE and PET—materials chosen for their durability and barrier properties, but also responsible for persistent microplastic pollution and chemical hazards. In this project, the team set out to rethink detergent packaging from the ground up by asking a simple question: Can a container perform like plastic without relying on it?

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Greener Solutions 2024: Safer Alternative Coatings for Slow Release Fertilizers

Final Report

Final Presentation

In partnership with Tidal Vision, this project looks at the challenges of creating sustainable and effective fertilizers that can boost agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental harm. Current synthetic fertilizers, especially nitrogen-based ones, cause major environmental issues like greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and soil damage. Controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) could help by...

Green Chemistry Initiative Report

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Greener Solutions 2024: Safer Preservatives for Laundry Detergents

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Link to Preservative Safety Index Data

This project provides recommendations for finding safer preservatives for laundry detergent, hand soap, and dish soap, aiming to replace phenoxyethanol. It looks for alternatives that are just as effective, or even better, but with fewer health and environmental risks....

Greener Solutions 2024: Alternatives to Quaternary Ammonium Compounds in Hair Conditioners

Final Presentation

Final Report

Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats), like behentrimonium chloride (BTAC) and cetrimonium chloride (CTAC), are commonly used in hair conditioners to make hair smooth, glossy, and easier to comb. However, these compounds pose significant health and environmental risks. L'Oréal is working on finding safer, more biodegradable alternatives, but this is a challenge across the industry.

The goal is to find...

Greener Solutions 2023: PVA in Laundry Sheets with ECOS

In partnership with ECOS, this student team examined potential alternatives to PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) in laundry detergent sheets.

Final Presentation

Final Report