home
energy&environment

Energy & environment

News, analysis, experiments, videos, games, and educational paths on the issues of energy and the environment for complete and topical information.

Energy and environment
economia circolare

Lignin becomes a resource for nylon production

Researchers at the Ames Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy have discovered how to bring lignin from the Kraft process, an industrial method of chemical extraction of cellulose from wood, back into the production cycle. This is an industrial method of extracting cellulose pulp from wood, which is then processed into paper. Lignin is an organic polymer used for example to strengthen various plant tissues. Lignin is also one of the main by-products of the paper production process. Generally this biomass is used for combustion with heat recovery, resulting in the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Ames researchers have found an alternative use for lignin, recovering it to obtain chemical precursors used in nylon production. The first step is the traditional treatment of the polymer with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide (i.e. caustic soda). At temperatures of about 200°C, the macro-molecule degrades, returning one of its simplest constituent elements: guaiacol. In turn, this small aromatic compound can be converted into a precursor of nylon in even less energy-intensive conditions, using certain catalysts. It is a solution with low environmental impact, both in terms of solvents and other chemicals used and in terms of the energy required by the process. The details of the research were published in a study that appeared in the journal Green Chemistry.
e-learning

E-learning

To inform younger students about Energy and Environment, Science, Chemistry, English culture and English language, with accompanying images, interviews and videos.

E-learning

To inform younger students about Energy and Environment, Science, Chemistry, English culture and English language, with accompanying images, interviews and videos.

Clilinaction

CLIL will no longer be a secret with"clil in action"! Watch the lessons on physics, biology, earth science and chemistry, in CLIL mode, the result of the synergy of Eniscuola with the students and teachers of Italian schools.

Clilinaction

Smartenglish

Improve your English with Smartenglish! An online course, be used alone or in class, to complement the curriculum or to recover debits. An aid for students, a monitoring tool for teachers.

Smartenglish

Scienze in classe

Studying physics, biology, earth science and chemistry has never been so stimulating! Supplement the classroom lessons with those that Eniscuola has created for you with the teachers and students of Italian schools.

Scienze in classe
international projects

International projects

Projects involving students from around the world, of different ages, which allow students to learn new content and release their energy, through participation and discussion.

International projects

Projects involving students from around the world, of different ages, which allow students to learn new content and release their energy, through participation and discussion.

Lab 4 energy

A virtual thematic classroom, high school students linked from various parts of the world for 15 courses on the world of energy, organised by faculty of MIT in Boston and world-renowned experts.

Lab 4 energy

Necst

We are a partner of the NECST project , the European Union programme that connects schools in Croatia, Holland, Norway and Italy in the creation of a digital platform for research and exchange of knowledge on energy production.

Necst

Schoolnet

A storyboard full of texts and drawings to narrate one's country in an original manner: letting loose the imagination of children around the world in the 2014 edition. And for the winners, production of animated short films!

Schoolnet

about us
ita

school energy&environment

Themes dealt with in energy

Energy knowledge

In 2014, every second, 1,071 barrels of oil and 109 cubic metres of natural gas were consumed. It is estimated…

The energy system

With the term “energy system” we usually indicate the set of processes involving production, transformation, transport and distribution of energy…

Oil

Today 1,149 barrels of oil are consumed every second worldwide, i.e. 182,740 litres. At present oil is the most important source…

Natural gas

Natural gas is the last fossil source of energy to be used on a global scale. For over a century,…

Coal

Coal has dominated the world energy scenario since the Eighteenth century, up to 1970 and in 2015 it accounts for…

Nuclear

Nuclear power is the source of energy that has been able to conquer, in only fifty years, a share that…

Biomass

In 2015 biomasses satisfied 9.7% of energy requirement worldwide (International Energy Agency Key World Energy Statistics 2017). Exploitation of this…

Hydroelectric

Water is one of the oldest sources for energy production. It is a renewable, abundant and clean source. Hydroelectric power…

Solar

In our Country (Italy) mean annual solar radiation ranges from 3.6 kWh per square metre per day in the Po…

Wind

Man has been using wind energy for thousands of years. The Egyptians were the first to experiment sailing on the…

Geothermal

Our planet constantly produces energy in the form of heat; from the deepest areas it spreads towards the surface: this…

Hydrogen

The hydrogen used for the production of energy is gas molecule hydrogen, identified with the formula H2. It is a…

Waste

In our daily activities, we produce a lot of waste. When we unwrap a packaged snack, or leave some broccoli…

Eni S.p.A. - P.IVA 00905811006