EAGER: Viologen-catalyzed Electrochemical Conversion of Biomass for Sustainable Energy and Products

EAGER：紫精催化生物质电化学转化，用于可持续能源和产品

• 批准号: 1540537
• 负责人: John Harb
• 金额: $ 10万
• 依托单位: Brigham Young University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-09-01 至 2017-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1540537&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Viologen; catalyzed; Electrochemical; Conversion

Harb, 1540537Carbohydrates from biomass have the potential to generate renewable energy for electric automobiles and other power-consuming needs. Current challenges inhibiting this technology include the low power output and insufficient catalyst durability of biofuel cells, and low carbohydrate conversion in non-biological fuel cells. A transformative breakthrough has come with the discovery of a homogeneous non-biological viologen catalyst that enables almost complete carbohydrate conversion. The overall objective of this project is to explore the feasibility of using this breakthrough to produce sustainable energy through biomass conversion in an electrochemical reactor. This preliminary feasibility study will identify the key fundamental processes and constraints that will determine the design and operation of a reactor system to produce sustainable energy, fuel or biochemical products.Four tasks have been defined to accomplish this objective. Task 1 will determine whether the homogenous and heterogeneous reaction rates can be effectively balanced to obtain the current density needed for a sustainable, economically viable process. Experiments under controlled flow conditions will the influence of pH, reactant concentrations, temperature, and potential. Task 2 will explore strategies, informed by the conditions identified in Task 1, for promoting near-complete carbohydrate conversion in a practical reactor system. Task 3 will assess the feasibility of hydrogen production as an alternative to electricity production. Viologens with more negative redox potentials will be evaluated as possible catalysts. Finally, Task 4 will identify and quantify fundamental properties and limitations of the proposed electricity or hydrogen generating system based on results from the previous tasks. The possibility of using separate reactors for the homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions will also be explored as part of this task to potentially enable greater efficiency and additional, transformative products. Completion of this preliminary study will 1) determine if the newly discovered viologen catalyst can be used for carbohydrate conversion at high rates (current density) in order to justify further consideration of this system as part of a full proposal, 2) identify a reactor strategy by which it may be possible to produce electricity from near-complete conversion of a carbohydrate, and 3) explore the feasibility of using carbohydrates to generate hydrogen. Fundamentally, this research will examine the interaction of homogeneous biomass reactions, a heterogeneous electrochemical reaction, and the reaction conditions in order to achieve potentially conversion of carbohydrates to produce sustainable energy. Fundamental issues related to carbon removal in the form of carbonate will also be explored in the contextof potential reactor strategies. It is expected that the results of this study could have a far-reaching impact on the development of viable and sustainable biomass conversion strategies, with emphasis on energy and transportation fuels. Inherent is the potential benefit of multiple platforms (electricity, hydrogen, and biologically reactive species) utilizing near-complete conversion of carbohydrates to increase the appeal for development of biomass-based economies. Increased adoption and sustained use of biomass-based processes from dedicated energy crops could (i) reduce dependence on other energy resources such as petroleum, (ii) reduce the impact of fossil fuels on global climate change, and (iii) reduce the use of food crops currently dedicated for biofuel production. Both graduate and undergraduate students, including those from underrepresented groups, will (i) gain experience in the design and implementation process for use of renewable resources (ii) demonstrate an appreciation for working within engineering constraints to develop a sustainable process, (iii) demonstrate effective teamwork and leadership skills as they work together as a team, and (iv) recognize the extent to which renewable resources can be applied to multiple process platforms.

HARB，1540537生物质碳水化合物有潜力为电动汽车和其他电力消费需求生产可再生能源。目前制约这项技术的挑战包括生物燃料电池的低功率输出和催化剂耐久性不足，以及非生物燃料电池的碳水化合物转化率低。随着一种均相的非生物紫精催化剂的发现，几乎可以完全转化碳水化合物，这是一个革命性的突破。该项目的总体目标是探索利用这一突破在电化学反应器中通过生物质转化生产可持续能源的可行性。这项初步可行性研究将确定将决定反应堆系统设计和运行以生产可持续能源、燃料或生化产品的关键基本过程和制约因素。为实现这一目标，已确定了四项任务。任务1将确定均相和非均相反应速率是否能够有效地平衡，以获得可持续的、经济上可行的过程所需的当前密度。在可控流动条件下的实验将影响pH、反应物浓度、温度和电位。任务2将探索在任务1中确定的条件下，在实际的反应堆系统中促进接近完全的碳水化合物转化的战略。任务3将评估氢气生产作为电力生产替代品的可行性。氧化还原电位负值较大的紫精将被评为可能的催化剂。最后，任务4将根据前几项任务的结果，确定和量化拟议发电或制氢系统的基本特性和局限性。作为这项任务的一部分，还将探索对均相和非均相反应使用单独的反应器的可能性，以潜在地实现更高的效率和更多的变革性产品。完成这项初步研究将1)确定新发现的紫精催化剂是否可用于高速率(电流密度)的碳水化合物转化，以便作为完整提案的一部分进一步审议该系统；2)确定一种反应堆战略，通过该战略可使碳水化合物几乎完全转化为电能；以及3)探索利用碳水化合物生产氢气的可行性。从根本上说，这项研究将考察均相生物质反应、非均相电化学反应和反应条件之间的相互作用，以实现碳水化合物潜在的转化，以产生可持续的能源。与碳酸盐形式的碳去除有关的基本问题也将在潜在的反应堆战略的背景下进行探讨。预计这项研究的结果可能对制定可行和可持续的生物质转化战略产生深远影响，重点是能源和运输燃料。利用碳水化合物几乎完全转化的多个平台(电力、氢气和生物活性物种)固有的潜在好处，增加了发展生物质经济的吸引力。更多地采用和持续使用专用能源作物的生物质加工可以：(1)减少对石油等其他能源的依赖；(2)减少化石燃料对全球气候变化的影响；(3)减少目前专门用于生产生物燃料的粮食作物的使用。研究生和本科生，包括来自代表性不足群体的学生，将：(I)获得可再生资源使用的设计和实施过程方面的经验；(Ii)表现出对在工程限制下开展工作以开发可持续进程的赞赏；(Iii)当他们作为一个团队共同工作时，表现出有效的团队合作和领导技能；以及(Iv)认识到可再生资源可应用于多个过程平台的程度。