U.S.-China Cooperative Research (Chemical Engineering): Studies of Acid Catalysts for Hydrocarbon Processing Reactions

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This is a two-year collaborative research project between James A. Dumesic of the University of Wisconsin and Chen Yi of Nanjing University on the study of solid acid catalysts. The project is sponsored by NSF and the Chinese State Education Commission. Solid acids are used as heterogeneous catalysts for such important processes as cracking of hydrocarbons in the petrochemical industry and the formation of amines as intermediates in the polymer industry. Collaborative research between the University of Wisconsin and Nanjing University will address how catalyst structure and composition control acid strength and how these factors are thereby related to the catalytic performance of these materials for cracking and amination reactions. Catalyst acidity studies and reaction kinetics measurements will be conducted at the University of Wisconsin, while catalyst preparation and characterization will be performed at Nanjing University. Kinetic modeling will be carried out to test quantitative relations that may be used to design new acidic materials as effective catalysts for hydrocarbon processing reactions.