CASTECH
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Chemistry and Chemical Eng
Abstract
Mankind faces great challenges in providing sufficient supplies of renewable energy, in protecting our environment, and in developing benign processes for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. These urgent problems can only be solved by applying the best available technology, but this requires a solid foundation of fundamental knowledge created through a multidisciplinary yet focussed approach. Catalysis is an essential enabling technology because it holds the key to solving many of these problems. CASTech aims to build on the science and engineering advances developed in previous collaborative programmes involving the main participants. Specifically, new core competencies for the investigation of reactions in multiphase systems will be developed. These will include MR imaging techniques (University of Cambridge, UCam); computational fluid dynamics (UCam); spectroscopic methods (QUB); SSITKA (QUB); flow visualisation and particle tracking (PEPT) (University of Birmingham, UBir); theoretical calculations (University of Virginia, UVa; QUB) for liquid phase processes. An enhanced time resolution fast transient and operando spectroscopy capability will be developed for investigating the mechanisms and the nature of the active sites in heterogeneous catalytic gas phase reactions (QUB). These core competencies will be applied to investigate the activation of saturated alkanes, initially building on our recent success in oxidative cracking of longer chain alkanes.We propose to develop our experimental and modelling capabilities with the objective of providing quantitative data on how to enhance the performance of a catalytic system by understanding and controlling the interaction between the solvent(s), the substrates and the catalyst surface. We aim to be able to describe the structure of liquids in catalytic systems at multiscale from the external (bulk) liquid phase to inside the porous structure of the catalyst and at the catalyst surface. The research will integrate new experimental probes and complementary theoretical approaches to help us understand liquid structures and we will use this information in collaboration with our industrial partners to address specific technical challenges.Bio-polymeric materials, e.g. cellulose and lignin, have the potential to provide functionalised building blocks for both existing and novel chemical products. Our ultimate aim is to provide novel and economically viable processes for the conversion of lignin into high value-added products. However, by starting with the conversion of lignosulphonates into vanillin and other higher value chemicals we will develop not only new processes but also the core competencies required to work with more complex fluids.Biogas (CH4 + CO2) can be produced from many different renewable sources but capturing and storing the energy is difficult on a small distributed scale. We propose to investigate a new, economic, down-sized engineering approach to the conversion of methane to dimethylether. This will be achieved by reducing the number of unit operations and developing new catalysts capable of performing under the more extreme temperature conditions that will be required to make the process economic.The drive to use catalysts for cleaner more sustainable chemistry needs also to address the inherently polluting and unsustainable process of catalyst manufacture itself. We will investigate the sustainable production of supported catalysts using electrochemical deposition of the metal. This method bypasses several conventional steps and would generate very little waste. In all these Grand Challenges there will be close collaboration between all the academic and industrial groups.
Organisations
- Queen's University Belfast (Lead Research Organisation)
- Sasol Technology Research Laboratory (Project Partner)
- Robinson Brothers Ltd (Project Partner)
- Borregaard (Project Partner)
- Questor Centre (Belfast) (Project Partner)
- Johnson Matthey (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Forest Research (Project Partner)
Publications
Taylor S
(2010)
Friedel-Crafts Alkylation of Aromatics with Benzyl Alcohol over Gold-Modified Silica
in ChemCatChem
Sá J
(2010)
Activation of Alkanes by Gold-Modified Lanthanum Oxide
in ChemCatChem
Morgan K
(2010)
TAP studies of CO oxidation over CuMnO and Au/CuMnO catalysts
in Journal of Catalysis
Chansai S
(2010)
Investigating the mechanism of the H2-assisted selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with octane using fast cycling transient in situ DRIFTS-MS analysis
in Journal of Catalysis
Daly H
(2010)
The effect of reaction conditions on the stability of Au/CeZrO4 catalysts in the low-temperature water-gas shift reaction
in Journal of Catalysis
Manyar HG
(2010)
Highly selective and efficient hydrogenation of carboxylic acids to alcohols using titania supported Pt catalysts.
in Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
Magureanu M
(2011)
In situ study of ozone and hybrid plasma Ag-Al catalysts for the oxidation of toluene: Evidence of the nature of the active sites
in Applied Catalysis B: Environmental
Goguet A
(2011)
Correction for a possible reversible adsorption over an "inert" material
in Catalysis Science & Technology
Burch R
(2011)
Catalytic hydrogenation of tertiary amides at low temperatures and pressures using bimetallic Pt/Re-based catalysts
in Journal of Catalysis
Sá J
(2011)
Evaluation of Pt and Re oxidation state in a pressurized reactor: difference in reduction between gas and liquid phase.
in Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
Cao X
(2011)
Reaction Mechanisms of Crotonaldehyde Hydrogenation on Pt(111): Density Functional Theory and Microkinetic Modeling
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Sá J
(2011)
Influence of methyl halide treatment on gold nanoparticles supported on activated carbon.
in Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)
Youngs T
(2011)
Neutron diffraction, NMR and molecular dynamics study of glucose dissolved in the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate
in Chemical Science
Inceesungvorn B
(2011)
Nano-structural investigation of Ag/Al2O3 catalyst for selective removal of O2 with excess H2 in the presence of C2H4
in Applied Catalysis A: General
Kamolphop U
(2011)
Low-Temperature Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NO x with n -Octane Using Solvent-Free Mechanochemically Prepared Ag/Al 2 O 3 Catalysts
in ACS Catalysis
Ding P
(2011)
Generation of Hydrogen Gas during the Catalytic Oxidation of Sodium Lignosulfonate to Vanillin: Initial Results
in Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research
GarcÃa-GarcÃa FR
(2011)
TAP studies of ammonia decomposition over Ru and Ir catalysts.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Paxton AT
(2011)
A tight binding model for water.
in The Journal of chemical physics
Cao X
(2012)
Density Functional Theory Study on the Cleavage Mechanism of the Carbonyl Bond in Amides on Flat and Stepped Ru Surfaces: Hydrogen-Induced or Direct C-O Bond Breaking?
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Yang B
(2012)
Origin of the Increase of Activity and Selectivity of Nickel Doped by Au, Ag, and Cu for Acetylene Hydrogenation
in ACS Catalysis
Morgan K
(2012)
TAP studies on 2% Ag/?-Al2O3 catalyst for selective reduction of oxygen in a H2-rich ethylene feed
in Catalysis Science & Technology
Abu-Dahrieh J
(2012)
Activity and deactivation studies for direct dimethyl ether synthesis using CuO-ZnO-Al2O3 with NH4ZSM-5, HZSM-5 or ?-Al2O3
in Chemical Engineering Journal
Sá J
(2012)
Redispersion of Gold Supported on Oxides
in ACS Catalysis
Pereda-Ayo B
(2012)
Regeneration mechanism of a Lean NOx Trap (LNT) catalyst in the presence of NO investigated using isotope labelling techniques
in Journal of Catalysis
Casabán J
(2012)
A more direct way to make catalysts: one-pot ligand-assisted aerobic stripping and electrodeposition of copper on graphite
in Green Chemistry
Pilasombat R
(2012)
Investigation of the effect of the preparation method on the activity and stability of Au/CeZrO4 catalysts for the low temperature water gas shift reaction
in Catalysis Today
McKenna F
(2012)
Selective hydrogenation of acetylene in ethylene rich feed streams at high pressure over ligand modified Pd/TiO2
in Catalysis Science & Technology
Akpa B
(2012)
Solvent effects in the hydrogenation of 2-butanone
in Journal of Catalysis
Touitou J
(2012)
An in situ spatially resolved method to probe gas phase reactions through a fixed bed catalyst
in Catalysis Science & Technology
Chansai S
(2012)
The use of Short Time on Stream (STOS) transient kinetics to investigate the role of hydrogen in enhancing NOx reduction over silver catalysts
in Journal of Catalysis
Pavelko R
(2013)
Time-Resolved DRIFTS, MS, and Resistance Study of SnO 2 Materials: The Role of Surface Hydroxyl Groups in Formation of Donor States
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Chansai S
(2013)
Controlling the Sulfur Poisoning of Ag/Al2O3 Catalysts for the Hydrocarbon SCR Reaction by Using a Regenerable SOx Trap
in Topics in Catalysis
Forsythe W
(2013)
An efficient and flexible synthesis of model lignin oligomers
in Green Chemistry
Maguire N
(2013)
Using temporal analysis of products and flux response technology to determine diffusion coefficients in catalytic monoliths
in Chemical Engineering Science
Chansai S
(2013)
An investigation of the role of surface nitrate species in the oxidation of propene on a Pt-based diesel oxidation catalyst
in Catalysis Science & Technology
Garrett M
(2013)
New methods in biomass depolymerisation: catalytic hydrogenolysis of barks
in RSC Advances
Saouane S
(2013)
Pinning down the solid-state polymorphism of the ionic liquid [bmim][PF6]
in Chemical Science
Ralphs K
(2013)
Application of heterogeneous catalysts prepared by mechanochemical synthesis.
in Chemical Society reviews
Youngs T
(2013)
Probing chemistry and kinetics of reactions in heterogeneous catalysts
in Chemical Science
Yang B
(2013)
Understanding the Optimal Adsorption Energies for Catalyst Screening in Heterogeneous Catalysis
in ACS Catalysis
Pacek A
(2013)
Catalytic Conversion of Sodium Lignosulfonate to Vanillin: Engineering Aspects. Part 1. Effects of Processing Conditions on Vanillin Yield and Selectivity
in Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research
Abdelkader A
(2013)
Steam reforming of ethanol over Co3O4-Fe2O3 mixed oxides
in International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Manyar H
(2013)
High energy resolution fluorescence detection XANES - an in situ method to study the interaction of adsorbed molecules with metal catalysts in the liquid phase
in Catalysis Science & Technology
Sheppard T
(2014)
A low temperature, isothermal gas-phase system for conversion of methane to methanol over Cu-ZSM-5.
in Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
Caporali R
(2014)
Critical role of water in the direct oxidation of CO and hydrocarbons in diesel exhaust after treatment catalysis
in Applied Catalysis B: Environmental
| Description | The research has provided a much better understanding of how chemical processes operate, both for reactions in the gas phase and for reactions in the liquid phase. This has enabled reactions to be performed more selectively with the production of less waste products. In addition, the research has led to the development of new processes that can operate at much lower temperatures and pressures than existing processes and so very significant energy and materials savings can be achieved. |
| Exploitation Route | The fundamental understanding of catalytic reactions in the gas phase or in the liquid phase that has been obtained in this research provides a basis for developing new catalysts and catalytic processes based on scientific knowledge rather than existing knowhow or through a programme of empirical experimentation. In future it will become possible to design new catalysts with specific functions and to determine scientifically how to use these to best advantage in a chemical process. |
| Sectors | Chemicals Energy Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | Our research has had both academic and commercial impact. The work has generated more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, including a significant number of joint papers from the participating institutions.There has been an ongoing and substantial amount of technology transfer from the academic groups to three of the industrial partners namely, Johnson Matthey, Robinson Brothers and Borregaard. Several new processes are being evaluated for possible commercialisation. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
| Sector | Chemicals,Energy,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | ICC conference 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Conference presentation |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | UKCC |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Organisation of the UK Catalysis Conference |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016,2017 |