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

生物质是不可再生的碳排放石油资源的一种有前途的替代品，也是唯一已知的可以以碳中性方式取代液体燃料和化学品的可再生资源。 美国和中国都将用生物质原料替代石油作为其能源战略的一部分，这反映在两国对开发生物质转化技术的研究增加上。 该研究项目的重点是从生物质中生产高价值的化学品，实现以下目标：i）开发可持续的化学品生产工艺，ii）提高生物质转化技术的整体经济性。 研究将在Tao Zhang博士的监督下进行：中国生物质催化转化领域的领导者和大连化学物理研究所（DICP）所长。 利用张博士和其他DICP研究人员的最先进的设备和丰富的技术经验，该项目将专注于开发新型催化剂和催化途径，用于从生物质生产高价值的化学品，如α-ω二醇。 更具体地说，本研究集中在催化和反应工程的应用，以降低催化剂成本，提高催化剂的稳定性液相生物质转化反应，如开环的环醚的α-ω二醇。虽然对这些反应进行了大量研究，但在用这些方法商业化所需的廉价贱金属催化剂代替昂贵的贵金属催化剂方面取得的成功有限。 通过应用新的催化剂表征技术，开发基本的反应动力学参数，并研究反应中间体之间的热力学关系，将在利用贱金属催化剂和改进α-ω二醇的升级途径方面取得进展。这将有助于促进生物质转化技术的推广，从而有助于为可持续的未来铺平道路。该奖项属于东亚和太平洋夏季研究所计划，支持美国研究生的夏季研究，由NSF和中国科技部共同资助。

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.