Catalytic Approaches to Dehydrogenation, Energy Storage, and Carbon Management

在这个由美国国家科学基金会化学部化学催化项目资助的项目中，南加州大学Loker碳氢化合物研究所的Travis Williams教授正在研究加氢和脱氢催化，这是针对二氧化碳利用、氢储存和精细化工生产的新方法。催化剂是促进化学反应的物质，在整个化学工业中被广泛使用。该项目为几个重要过程开发催化剂。这些包括从甲酸中去除氢的催化剂，这可能允许甲酸用作氢载体，另一个从甘油中去除氢，这可能允许从生物柴油精炼的废料中形成有价值的产品，第三个将二氧化碳转化为甲醇，一种重要的工业起始材料。该项目包括一个K-12外展计划，将当地高中生带入研究实验室。该项目有三个目标区域。首先，开发了一种由螯合磷(P)-氮(N)配体支撑的二铱催化剂，用于甲酸脱水。在相关工作中，开发了一系列含双齿酸、吡啶配体的铱、钌配合物，作为甘油转化为乳酸的催化剂。最后，含有硼酸盐配体的钌配合物被设计用于二氧化碳还原。这些过程的机理正在通过化学、动力学和光谱研究来确定，以优化催化过程。所选的目标反应有可能获得商业许可或由其他人改编用于工业用途。学生主持的座谈会项目使研究生、本科生和博士后学生接触到各种各样的职业可能性。

In this project funded by the Chemical Catalysis program of the NSF Chemistry Division, Professor Travis Williams of the University of Southern California's Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute is studying hydrogenation and dehydrogenation catalysis that is directed toward new approaches for carbon dioxide utilization, hydrogen storage, and fine chemical production. Catalysts are species that facilitate chemical reactions and are utilized throughout the chemical industry. This project develops catalysts for several important processes. These include a catalyst for the removal of hydrogen from formic acid, which may allow formic acid to be used as a hydrogen carrier, another to remove hydrogen from glycerol, which may allow the formation of valuable products from waste materials of biodiesel refining, and a third to convert carbon dioxide to methanol, an important industrial starting material. This project includes a K-12 outreach program that brings local high school students into the research laboratory.The project has three target areas. First, a diiridium catalyst supported by a chelating phosphorus (P)-nitrogen (N) ligand is being developed for formic acid dehydration. In related work, a series of iridium and ruthenium complexes containing bidentate, pyridine containing ligands are being developed as catalysts for the conversion of glycerol to lactic acid. Finally, ruthenium complexes containing a borate ligand are being designed for carbon dioxide reduction. The mechanisms of these processes are being determined by chemical, kinetic, and spectroscopic studies in order to optimize the catalytic processes. The selected target reaction have the potential to be licensed commercially or adapted by others for industrial use. The student-hosted colloquia program exposes graduate, undergraduate, and postdoctoral students to a variety of career possibilities.