Catalytic Routes to Intermediates for Sustainable Processes

Oil is the most important source of energy worldwide, accounting for 35% of primary energy consumption and the majority of chemical feedstocks. The quest for sustainable resources to meet demands of a constantly rising global population is one of the main challenges for mankind this century. To be truly viable such alternative feedstocks must be sustainable, that is "have the ability to meet 21st century energy needs without compromising those of future generations." Development of efficient routes to large-scale chemical intermediates and commodity chemicals from renewable feedstocks is essential to have a major impact on the economic and environmental sustainability of the chemical industry. While fine chemical and pharmaceutical processes have a diverse chemistry and a need to find green alternatives, the large scale production of petrochemical derived intermediates is surely a priority issue if improved overall sustainability in chemicals manufacture is to be achieved. For example, nylon accounts for 8.9% of all manmade fibre production globally and is currently sourced exclusively from petrochemicals. It is one of the largest scale chemical processes employed by the chemicals sector. Achieving a sustainable chemicals industry in the near future requires 'drop in' chemicals for direct replacement of crude oil feedstocks. The production of next-generation advanced materials from the sustainably-sourced intermediates is a second key challenge to be tackled if our reliance on petrochemicals is to end

The project will develop new heterogeneously catalysed processes to convert cellulose derivatives to high value platform and commodity chemicals. We specifically target sustainable production of intermediates for manufacture of polyamides and acrylates, thereby displacing petroleum feedstocks. Achieving the aims of the project requires novel multifunctional catalyst technology which optimises the acid-base properties, hydrogen transfer and deoxygenation capability. Using insights into catalyst design gleaned from our previous work, a directed high-throughput (HT) catalyst synthesis and discovery programme will seek multifunctional catalyst formulations for key biomass transformations. Target formulations will be scaled up and dispersed onto porous architectures for study in lab-scale industrial-style reactors. We will also seek to exploit multi-phase processes to improve selectivity and yield. This will be combined with multi-scale systems analysis to help prioritise promising pathways, work closely with industry to benchmark novel processes against established ones, develop performance measures (e.g. life cycle analysis (LCA)) to set targets for catalytic processes and explore optimal integration strategies with existing industrial value chains. Trade-offs between optimising single product selectivity versus allowing multiple reaction schemes and using effective separation technology in a "multiproduct" process will be explored. The potential utilization of by-products as fuels, sources of hydrogen, or as chemical feeds, will be evaluated by utilizing data from parallel programmes.

The UK petrochemicals industry has been in decline for many years as access to cheap North Sea hydrocarbons has ceased. The UK has become heavily dependent on imported feedstocks and materials. New biomass based processes can facilitate a resurgence in the chemicals industry, improve security of supply, reduce the carbon footprint and hence the UKs contribution to global CO2 emissions, and open new and broader opportunities for the UK agricultural sector to supply a range of novel feedstocks. The sustainable chemical feedstocks programme also paves the way to waste valorisation, and is also in tune with the development of a knowledge based economy linked to manufacturing. The UK has world-leading contracting and catalyst industries, and technical consultancies which play an important role in maintaining the UK's international reputation for technology. These depend on access to cutting edge academic research and trained personnel such as provided by the proposed research. The Companies involved with project provide a direct outlet for the knowledge and technologies across the range of beneficiary sectors.

IP emerging from the project will be identified and protected by the relevant University organisations, with clear agreement and documentation of inventive steps allowing ready identification of IP ownership. IC, CU and UoL all have extensive experience in IP protection in multi-organisation research programmes of this type e.g. under the N4CF programme both Cardiff and Liverpool patented separate inventions with the industrial partner under the IP arrangements we envisage in this programme, which will be reflected in the Consortium Agreement to be drawn up by the Universities before project start.

To maximise the impact and benefit that can accrue from the research, we intend to disseminate the results as widely as possible to academic and industrial beneficiaries. We will: publish in high impact scientific journals over the full range of disciplines contributing to the project; present at international conferences associated with process systems, chemical engineering, catalysis and biomass conversion to chemicals and fuels; enhance the impact of the work by dissemination of results online by webinars and creating a website to advertise the technology; hold regular science exchange days with other consortia in the "Sustainable Feedstocks" programme; develop a demonstration for school visits and university open days to highlight the potential impact of science and engineering in the area of sustainable technology; organize a showcase workshop towards the end of the project, in which we will invite academics and industrial researchers by advertising in knowledge transfer and professional networks; propose a Royal Society Discussion Meeting and a Faraday Discussion on sustainable chemical processes.

The project will produce high quality researchers (RAs and associated PhD students) with a multidisciplinary perspective. This will make them highly valued in a range of economic spheres. In addition to the chemicals sector and catalyst industries, the UK has world-leading contracting and technical consultancies which depend on access to leading academic research and trained personnel with a whole system perspective such as provided by the proposed research.