RARE-1: Understanding catalyst activity to improve the production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid

RARE-1：了解催化剂活性以提高 2,5-呋喃二甲酸的生产

• 批准号: 2230355
• 负责人: Stephanie Wettstein
• 金额: $ 45万
• 依托单位: Montana State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-09-01 至 2025-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2230355&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RARE; Understanding; catalyst; activity; improve

The manufacturing of polymeric materials is one of the leading contributors to carbon emissions in the chemical industry due to the high energy requirements associated with the production, refining, and conversion of fossil fuels to polymers. A greener alternative to using fossil resources is bio-based polymers. The project investigates more efficient chemical processing for the production of 2,5- furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) – a bio-based chemical that can be upgraded to polymers analogous to fossil-derived polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is widely used in the production of films, polyesters, and nylons. The corresponding FDCA based polymer (polyethylene furanoate, or PEF) is particularly attractive for food and beverage packaging, such as plastic bottles, and is estimated to be a $200 billion market. However, FDCA is produced via oxidation of a biomass precursor, 5- hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), which has several major production limitations. This project addresses several challenges associated with the manufacture of FDCA from HMF, thus enabling more economical production of PEF and its related products.The project addresses several challenges of FDCA synthesis by improving the reaction using organic solvents and heterogeneous catalysts. In particular, the project focuses on fundamental aspects related to the interactions of solvents, reactants, and products with the surface and active sites of the catalysts. Specifically, the research focuses on two main limitations of FDCA production: catalyst activity and product concentration. Identifying solvents that have high FDCA solubility in the absence of salts will significantly improve the range of heterogenous catalysts that can be used in the reaction. Bimetallic and non-noble metal catalysts will be synthesized using atomic layer deposition (ALD) in order to achieve uniform catalyst particle dispersion, while also controlling particle size, structure, and composition. The ALD-synthesized catalysts provide a platform conducive to identifying catalyst properties that enable efficient HMF-to-FDCA conversion, while providing fundamental insight regarding the surface reactions involved. Additionally, base-free reactions at high HMF concentrations will be run to elucidate reactant/product/solvent interactions with the catalysts. Beyond the technical aspects, the project integrates research with education at all levels, especially via efforts targeted towards underrepresented minorities with the goal of motivating young students to consider the STEM fields as a possible career path. To that end, sustained contact will be made with over 120 4th graders in under-served, rural areas of Montana.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

由于与化石燃料的生产、精炼和转化相关的高能源需求，聚合物材料的制造是化学工业碳排放的主要贡献者之一。 使用化石资源的更绿色替代品是生物基聚合物。 该项目研究更有效的化学加工方法来生产 2,5-呋喃二甲酸 (FDCA)，这是一种生物基化学品，可以升级为类似于化石衍生的聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯 (PET) 的聚合物，广泛用于薄膜、聚酯和尼龙的生产。 相应的基于 FDCA 的聚合物（聚乙烯呋喃酸酯，即 PEF）对于食品和饮料包装（例如塑料瓶）特别有吸引力，预计市场规模达 2000 亿美元。 然而，FDCA 是通过生物质前体 5-羟甲基糠醛 (HMF) 的氧化生产的，它有几个主要的生产限制。 该项目解决了与从 HMF 制造 FDCA 相关的几个挑战，从而能够更经济地生产 PEF 及其相关产品。该项目通过使用有机溶剂和多相催化剂改进反应，解决了 FDCA 合成的几个挑战。 该项目特别关注与溶剂、反应物和产物与催化剂表面和活性位点相互作用相关的基本方面。具体来说，该研究重点关注FDCA生产的两个主要限制：催化剂活性和产品浓度。识别在不存在盐的情况下具有高 FDCA 溶解度的溶剂将显着改善可用于反应的多相催化剂的范围。 双金属和非贵金属催化剂将采用原子层沉积（ALD）合成，以实现均匀的催化剂颗粒分散，同时控制颗粒尺寸、结构和组成。 ALD 合成的催化剂提供了一个有利于识别催化剂特性的平台，从而实现 HMF 到 FDCA 的高效转化，同时提供有关所涉及表面反应的基本见解。 此外，将在高 HMF 浓度下进行无碱反应，以阐明反应物/产物/溶剂与催化剂的相互作用。 除了技术方面之外，该项目还将研究与各个层面的教育相结合，特别是通过针对代表性不足的少数群体的努力，以激励年轻学生将 STEM 领域视为可能的职业道路。 为此，我们将与蒙大拿州服务不足的农村地区的 120 多名四年级学生进行持续接触。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优点和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。