The charm of the forgotten elements

Bringing Chemistry to Life

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There is one thing Robert Gilliard, Jr. refutes categorically; that there is no innovation in chemistry. As an innovator, he has made a career on the risky proposition of finding value in a part of the periodic table that has been historically underappreciated, the main-group elements.

In his fearless exploration of the properties of bismuth, germanium, beryllium and boron, Robert is discovering new chemistries and inventing new applications. He believes in moving beyond the well of tried-and-true chemistry to explore less-traditional approaches and making them part of the standard chemistry toolset.

This is a classic Bringing Chemistry to Life episode; one that those genuinely passionate about chemistry will love. Paolo and Robert speak about new properties, reactivities and applications in synthetic chemistry and material science, all coming from the “forgotten,” abundant and cheap main-group elements. A wonderful story of relentless pursuit of knowledge that proposes a vision for a very different chemistry of tomorrow.

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