CAREER: Composite Catalytic Micromembranes. Tailoring Reaction and Transport at the Microscale for Efficient Hydrogen Extraction from Green Hydrocarbons

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CBET-0748016WilhiteThis is a CAREER grant to fund research and educational activities aimed at re-designing permselective catalytic membranes.Intellectual Merit: With the world's growing energy demands, pollution concerns and the need for greater energy diversity, a solution is sought for a universal, emission-free fuel. Hydrogen has emerged as a promising energy alternative. This research seeks to improve the extraction of hydrogen from green carbon sources. The PIs will combine modeling and experimental efforts aimed at developing a multi-layered catalytic membrane reactor, which can be used as a single device to reform ethanol, butanol, or glycerol; selectively oxidize carbon monoxide; and deliver hydrogen for use in fuel cells. This proposal aims to improve the design of permselective catalytic membranes by combining concepts of (i) composite or multi-layer catalytic and permselective membranes, with (ii) external manipulation of reaction and separation via applied thermal (conductive), concentration (diffusive) and pressure (convective) gradients. The resulting composite-catalytic membranes will be directly applied to the socially, environmentally and industrially critical task of realizing cost-effective and energy efficient reformers capable of extracting hydrogen from green hydrocarbon sources. Broader Impact: The research seeks to establish a new design paradigm for realizing cost-effective catalytic membranes for selective chemical reactions and/or gas separations. This new concept in reactor design advances clean, renewable energy production from domestic agricultural products. The resulting scientific developments and fundamental discoveries will provide a basis for generating new pedagogical tools and teaching experiments enriching both undergraduate and graduate education. The PIs will also use these educational materials to increase public awareness of green energy technologies and to foster interest in science and technology careers amongst K-12 students through multiple outreach activities provided by the University of Connecticut School of Engineering, Connecticut Global Fuel Cell Center and Connecticut Biofuels Consortium.