Why Robust Metal Oxide Catalysts hold the Key to Sustainable Future

Описание: Increasing demand for materials and energy, coupled with more stringent curbs on greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants necessitates the urgent need for development of new improved and efficient chemical technologies for sustainable manufacturing of chemicals. In this context Catalysis is the most important technology to enable our transition to net zero carbon future, where the earth abundant metal oxide catalysts have a pivotal role from dynamic supports to active catalysts in energy efficient processes for chemicals and fuels. In this lecture we will visit some of the most recent developments in our research group including new design of metal oxide catalysts, reactors, and processes to reveal insights into the structure-activity relationships. Using key examples based on mechanochemical synthesis of more efficient catalysts, dual function materials, continuous flow platforms, 3D printed reactors, we will demonstrate the advances made in sustainable manufacturing to further achieve the ambitious 2050 net zero targets for Sustainable World. We continue to develop novel catalytic processes by combining catalyst design, process intensification, and in situ spectroscopy techniques with computational simulations. By using exemplar chemical processes such as hydrogenation, oxidation, alkylation, esterification, and ketonisation, we have established rational catalyst design criteria to engineer selectivity to desired products, improved process efficiency, catalyst stability and longevity. We have developed catalytic processes for sustainable production of a range of biofuels and platform chemicals including API processes for pharmaceutical industry, ingredients for perfumery and flavors industry, as well as fuels and fuel-additives such as gasoline and diesel range alkanes, bis-hydroxymethyl furfural, alkyl levulinates, GVL, glycerol triacetins, glycerol carbonate and renewable hydrogen production through photo-reforming.