EAGER: Biomass Utilization with Supercritical CO2 for Value-added Materials

该项目旨在将生物质转化为高价值产品，对环境无害。该项目的意义在于将生物质转化为活性碳，为包括水净化、空气污染控制和能源储存在内的广泛应用提供显著增值。目前，活性碳是由化石资源生产的，这些资源不仅有限，而且还会产生有害污染物。需要解决的基本问题包括使用超临界二氧化碳(称为SCO2)生产活性碳的基本反应机理。该项目将在生产高价值活性碳领域产生更广泛的影响，并支持STEM教育和多样性，以利用生物质和SCO2获得高价值活性碳，造福社会。马里兰大学的团队将开发一种先进的、对环境负责的生物质利用技术，使用超临界二氧化碳(称为SCO2)来生产具有更高价值和应用的可持续固体材料，而不会造成任何经济和环境障碍。将探索SCO2处理工艺，以增加焦炭的价值，这些焦炭的目标应用包括储能材料、用作水净化和空气污染控制的活性碳的高孔率吸附剂、碳催化剂和高质量固体燃料。将对高压生物质在SCO2中转化的反应机理和动力学进行基础研究，以了解超临界二氧化碳系统的溶解性和热力学性质，以寻求多功能性和产品特性的控制。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project is aimed at environmentally benign conversion of biomass to high value products. The significance of this project lies in converting biomass to activated carbon that offers significant increase in value for a wide range of applications, including water purification, air pollution control and energy storage. Currently the activated carbon is produced from fossil resources that are not only limited but they also produce harmful pollutants. Fundamental issues to be addressed include basic reaction mechanisms in producing activated carbon using supercritical CO2 (called sCO2). The project will provide a broader impact in the field to produce high value activated carbon, as well as support STEM education and diversity to benefit society with the availability of high value activated carbon using biomass and sCO2. The University of Maryland team will develop an advanced and environmentally responsible biomass-utilization technology using supercritical CO2 (called sCO2) to produce sustainable solid materials of enhanced value and application without any economic and environmental impediments. The sCO2 treatment process will be explored to increase the value of char produced with targeted applications including energy storage materials, high-porosity sorbents as activated carbon for water purification and air pollution control, carbon catalysts and high-quality solid fuels. Fundamental investigations on reaction mechanism and kinetics of high-pressure biomass conversion in sCO2 will be carried out to understand solubility and thermodynamic properties of supercritical CO2 systems for seeking versatility and control of product characteristics.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.