EAPSI: Investigating Catalytic Reactions for the Production of High-value Chemicals from Biomass

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Biomass represents a promising alternative to non-renewable, carbon-emitting petroleum resources and is the only known renewable resource that can replace liquid fuels and chemicals in a carbon-neutral manner. Both the United States and China have made replacing petroleum with biomass feedstocks a part of their energy strategy, which has been reflected in increased research in developing biomass conversion technologies in both countries. This research project is focused on the production of high-value chemicals from biomass, fulfilling the goals of i) developing sustainable processes for chemical production and ii) improving the overall economics of biomass conversion technologies. Research will be carried out under the supervision of Dr. Tao Zhang: a leader in the field of catalytic conversion of biomass in China and the Director of the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP). Utilizing the state-of-the-art equipment and vast technical experience of Dr. Zhang and other DICP researchers, this project will focus on the development of novel catalysts and catalytic pathways for the production of high-value chemicals such as alpha-omega diols from biomass. More specifically, this research is centered on the application of catalysis and reaction engineering to reduce catalyst cost and improve catalyst stability for liquid-phase biomass conversion reactions, such as the ring-opening of cyclic ethers to alpha-omega diols. While much research has been performed on these reactions, there has been limited success in replacing costly noble metal catalysts with the inexpensive base metal catalysts necessary for commercialization of these processes. By applying novel catalyst characterization techniques, developing fundamental reaction kinetic parameters, and studying thermodynamic relationships between reaction intermediates, progress will be made in utilizing base metal catalysts and in improving upgrading pathways to alpha-omega diols. This will facilitate the promotion of biomass conversion technologies and thus in helping pave a path to a sustainable future.This award under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China.