IUPAC’s 2023 Top Ten Emerging Technologies in Chemistry

Abstract

Abstract This manuscript marks the five-year anniversary of IUPAC’s “Top Ten” initiative [1]. The new additions will grow the list of emerging technologies to fifty—all with a powerful potential to make our world more sustainable and all suitable solutions to the current polycrisis [2]. This past summer, the theme of the IUPAC World Chemistry Congress in the Hague was “Connecting Chemical Worlds,” which aligns almost perfectly with the goals of the “Top Ten”—multidisciplinary research is key towards transitioning to net-zero and achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development goals by 2030 [3]. Moreover, the selection this year particularly promotes cross-collaboration in chemistry to create exciting emerging technologies that bridge the gap between academia and industry, while continuing the current competitiveness of chemical manufacturers. From a pool of possible ideas, a panel of experts have selected the following list, covering a range of fields from synthesis and polymer chemistry to health and artificial intelligence. The technology readiness level varies along the different solutions—nevertheless, all show a provocative promise to reimagine our world and our society.