This summer, the first of Japan’s 50 nuclear reactors – the Ohi nuclear plant – reopened 14 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. Since the tsunami in March last year, Japan’s domestic anti-nuclear protests have increased significantly. Tens of thousands of people protested against nuclear power outside Japan’s parliament. Meanwhile, anti-nuclear groups have been growing louder on the use of renewable energy, such as wind power, solar power, and geothermal energy etc. It’s no surprise then that the Japanese government struggled over its decision of resuming the nuclear projects.
Bing Yu received his dual bachelor's degrees in chemistry and biology from Central China Normal University in 2009. He is a 3rd-year Ph.D. student of organic chemistry at Nankai University, China. Now he is working in the research group of Prof. Liang-Nian He at the Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry and State Key Lab of Elemento-Organic Chemistry. The aim of this “green chemistry” group is to demonstrate the versatile use of carbon dioxide in organic synthesis, with the main focus on utilization of the “green-house” gas CO2 as a building block for synthesis of industrial useful compounds and fuel additives such as cyclic carbonates, oxazolidinones, lactones, quinazolines, etc. CO2 capture by using efficient chemical absorbents and the potential use of dense CO2 (supercritical CO2) or green solvent like ionic liquids, polyethylene glycol as an alternative solvent and otherwise specific roles in organic synthesis are also evaluated. Bing's current research field is chemical activation of carbon dioxide, and using CO2 as a C1 source for the carboxylation reaction. Although Bing spends most of his time in the laboratory for experimental research, he likes to play badminton and travel after work.