International DDEP: Understanding and Enhancing Post-Combustion Multi-Pollutant Control with Carbon-Based Materials

摘要本DDEP奖旨在资助博士候选人John Atkinson在台湾的实验室工作，研究用于催化破坏有毒燃烧产物（氮氧化物、汞、二恶英和呋喃）的新型碳材料。PI和Atkinson先生在他们的家乡校园里在这一领域的工作得到了NSF奖的支持，但台湾的两个实验室为测试候选碳材料提供了独特的实验设施。Atkinson先生将在台湾的国立中央大学和国立台北理工大学进行为期六周的燃气净化实验，即同时催化转化燃烧气体中出现的几种微量污染物。此次台湾之行，将使博士候选人能够详细研究二恶英和呋喃在一个配有高分辨率光谱分析仪的反应器中转化为良性物质的过程，以识别反应产物。这样的设备在美国是不可用的，而且，他将研究碳基材料氧化汞的能力，使用固定床反应器在另一个设施，这在美国是不容易获得的。因此，该活动的智力价值源于对这些反应系统的化学的额外见解，否则是无法获得的。除了促进这位年轻研究员的专业发展和为他的博士论文提供有价值的数据外，该项目还应有助于改进环境保护技术的发展。二恶英和汞一样，可以生物累积并造成生物危害。新的改进和廉价的催化剂将允许破坏这些有机化合物和氧化元素汞。氧化汞更易溶于水，因此在随后的洗涤过程中更容易被吸收。

AbstractThis DDEP award provides funding to support laboratory work in Taiwan by Ph.D. candidate, John Atkinson, in his study of new carbon materials for catalytic destruction of toxic combustion products, namely, nitrogen oxides, mercury, dioxins and furans. The PI and Mr. Atkinson are supported by an NSF award for work in this area on their home campus, but two laboratories in Taiwan offer unique experimental facilities for testing of candidate carbon materials. Mr. Atkinson will spend six weeks in Taiwan, at National Central University and at National Taipei University of Technology, to undertake combustion-gas-cleaning experiments, i.e., to accomplish simultaneous catalytic conversion of several trace pollutants that appear in combustion gases. The visit to Taiwan will allow the PhD candidate to study in detail the conversion of dioxins and furans into benign species in a reactor equipped with a high resolution spectrographic analyzer for identifying reaction products. Such an apparatus is not available in the U.S. Also, he will study the ability of carbon-based materials to oxidize mercury species using a fixed bed reactor in another facility that is not readily available in the U.S. Thus, the intellectual merit of the activity stems from the additional insight into the chemistry of these reaction systems that would not be otherwise accessible.In addition to enhancing the professional development of this young researcher and providing valuable data for his PhD thesis, the project should contribute to development of improved technologies for environmental protection. The dioxins can bioaccumulate and cause biological harm, as can mercury. New improved and inexpensive catalysts will permit destruction of these organic compounds and oxidation of elemental mercury. Oxidized mercury is more soluble in water and therefore more susceptible to absorption in a subsequent scrubbing process. Another significant consequence of the activity will be to strengthen the international relationship of the University of Illinois with the two institutions in Taiwan.