Improving biomass transformation catalysis with a combined nanomaterials and spectroscopy rational design approach
Lead Research Organisation:
Durham University
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Heterogeneous (solid) catalysts underpin the manufacture of > 90% of fuels and chemicals and the chemicals sector contributes £50bn yr-1 to the UK economy. The need to develop new or improved catalysts (more efficient, selective, cheaper, greener) has never been greater, with an expanding, more developed population, depletion of fossil resources and enormous concerns about global warming. The key enabler in delivering the catalysts needed is systematic insight into the molecular / atomic mechanisms that control catalyst function.
This project will use "idealized" catalyst structures to provide mechanistic insight into a key biomass-to chemicals transformations of platform molecules (e.g. furfural, a promising "platform molecule" readily obtainable from sugar and providing access to a number of adhesive/resin/solvent and plastics intermediates (all currently fossil derived).
The catalyst structures will be synthesized using nano-chemistry techniques. The uniformity obtained enables the reliable use of spectroscopic handles for the catalysts' charge transfer and acid/base properties - key mechanistic parameters we want to understand.
This project will use "idealized" catalyst structures to provide mechanistic insight into a key biomass-to chemicals transformations of platform molecules (e.g. furfural, a promising "platform molecule" readily obtainable from sugar and providing access to a number of adhesive/resin/solvent and plastics intermediates (all currently fossil derived).
The catalyst structures will be synthesized using nano-chemistry techniques. The uniformity obtained enables the reliable use of spectroscopic handles for the catalysts' charge transfer and acid/base properties - key mechanistic parameters we want to understand.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Simon Beaumont (Primary Supervisor) | |
Kathryn MacIntosh (Student) |
Publications
MacIntosh K
(2020)
Nickel-Catalysed Vapour-Phase Hydrogenation of Furfural, Insights into Reactivity and Deactivation
in Topics in Catalysis
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
EP/R513039/1 | 30/09/2018 | 29/09/2023 | |||
2115415 | Studentship | EP/R513039/1 | 30/09/2018 | 31/12/2021 | Kathryn MacIntosh |
Title | Nickel-catalysed vapour-phase hydrogenation of furfural, insights into reactivity and deactivation [dataset] |
Description | Data in this dataset correspond to the paper: Nickel-catalysed vapour-phase hydrogenation of furfural, insights into reactivity and deactivation Kathryn L. MacIntosh and Simon K. Beaumont |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | K.L. MacIntosh, S.K. Beaumont, Nickel-Catalysed Vapour-Phase Hydrogenation of Furfural, Insights into Reactivity and Deactivation, Top. Catal., 63 (2020) 1446-1462. |