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Tailored heterogeneous catalysts for biomass conversion
Balderas, Raiven Ignacia
Balderas, Raiven Ignacia
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2024
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Abstract
This thesis focuses on the development and optimization of heterogeneous catalysts designed to address pressing challenges in sustainable biomass conversion. The introductory chapter outlines the importance of catalysis in advancing sustainable technologies, highlighting the need for catalysts that balance high activity, selectivity, and stability under challenging reaction conditions.
Chapter 2 provides a comprehensive review of synthetic methods to achieve metal oxides with exposed (111) facets, known for their high surface energy and distinctive reactivity, which make them ideal for complex chemical transformations. This chapter explores methods including hydrothermal and solvothermal approaches, examining how controlled synthesis impacts catalyst faceting, morphology and performance.
Chapter 3 examines the stability and catalytic behavior of MgO(111) nanocatalysts when coated with carbon. This modification preserves catalyst activity under reaction conditions and enhances the efficiency of 2-pentanone condensation reactions, a pathway relevant to biofuel synthesis. The carbon coating approach is shown to provide protective benefits while maintaining the catalytic properties associated with exposed (111) surfaces.
In Chapter 4, the focus shifts to bifunctional catalysts capable of both hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and deoxygenation reactions, essential for converting biomass-derived oxygenates into hydrocarbons. Here, the interplay between metal sites and acid sites on the support surface is investigated, demonstrating how these interactions drive catalytic efficiency and selectivity.
This work sheds light on the intricate connections between catalyst design, surface structure, and functional performance, offering new insights into how tailored catalysts can be leveraged to optimize the conversion of renewable feedstocks into valuable biofuels and chemicals. Through this research, advancements are made in the understanding and application of facet-dependent reactivity, structural modifications, and synergistic interactions in bifunctional catalytic systems, contributing to the broader goals of sustainable chemical processes and renewable energy solutions.
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