Catalysis for Sustainable Energy

Direct Biomass Conversion to Fuels

Goal
Biomass contains a number of interesting building blocks that can be utilized to produce fuels and chemicals. Therefore the goal is to develop methods for cutting down biomass into intermediate platform molecules and subsequently transforming these into chemical fuels (cf. refs. [1,2]).

Ionic Liquids
Used ionic liquid[3]
a
N N +

Basic Principle
Biomass can be converted into smaller molecules either by (catalytic) flash pyrolysis or by using ionic liquids. The resulting pyrolysis oil or sugar entities are then transformed further to fuels. The main reactions for these transformations are dehydration, decarboxylation and hydrogenation using efficient zeolite-based and/or alloy catalysts.
Biomass:
Pyrolysis Oil

Biodiesel from fatty acids and glycerides

Decarbonylation/decarboxylation

+ H2 + H2

CO/CO2

Pyrolysis Grain Corn Plant oil Cellulose Reaction Glucose, Fructose, Lignin Ethanol, Lactic Acid, in ionic Fatty acids liquids

Fuels such as Ethanol, Hydrocarbons, etc.

Complete hydrogenation

Use of biomass molecules for fuels and chemicals[4]

Fuels, e.g. Alcohols, Ether, Hydrocarbons
Carbohydrates Catalyst
O O OH + OH O OH

Building blocks

Biodegradable plastic Fuels

Challenges
Effective pyrolysis process Catalysts to selectively break down biomass in ionic liquids Routes to convert pyrolysis oil or its major components Sufficiently active and stable zeolites and alloy catalysts Rational catalyst design and understanding of the catalysts

Catalyst Development
Catalysts for Conversions in ionic liquids Dehydration with zeolites Alloy catalysts for hydrogenations

Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis oil contains Aldehydes and ketones (mainly gluconaldehyde) Furane derivatives Phenolic compounds Depends strongly on the type of biomass and conditions[2]

Approach
Design of catalysts for transformations in ionic liquids Transformation of model compounds from pyrolysis oil Gluconaldehyde to ethanol Synthesis and test of existing and new catalysts In-situ characterization of catalysts

DTU Participants
References [1] G. W. Huber, S. Iborra, A. Corma; Chem. Rev. 106 (2006): 4044 [2] A. V. Bridgwater et al.; Fast Pyrolysis of Biomass: A Handbook, CPL Press (1999), Newbury; Bech et al. WO 2006/117006 [3] Rogers et al.; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 124 (2002): 4974 [4] E. Taarning, S. Saravanamurugan, M.S. Holm, J. Xiong, R.M. West, C.H. Christensen; Chem .Sus .Chem. 2(7) 2009: 625-627

Principal investigators
Jan-Dierk Grunwaldt Anker Degn Jensen John Woodley Rasmus Fehrman Anders Riisager

Sren Dahl

CASE contact person: Jan-Dierk Grunwaldt, jdg@kt.dtu.dk, + 45 4525 2838