Novel Catalytic Hydrothermal Process for Valorisation of Biorefinery Lignin

Understand the principles governing the production of 'drop-in' alternative fuels and chemicals from suitable sustainable resources.Biomass is considered as the best sustainable resource due to its vast abundance and potential for yielding chemicals and fuels with similar properties to those obtained currently from non-renewable resources. This is critical to ensure that the impending transition to a global low-carbon economy is compatible with existing technologies adopted by modern society, and hence minimising changes to current lifestyles. The goal of the studentship is to undertake fundamental research on the development and application of multifunctional earth abundant catalysts for the conversion of lignin-rich residues from lignocellulosic biorefineries into aromatic chemicals, with a view to modelling and designing a commercial process.