Planting Theseeds Innovation
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CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY BENEFICIAL CATALYSIS The University of Kansas 2017 Plantingof Annual theSeeds Innovation Report CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY BENEFICIAL CATALYSIS The University of Kansas Planting Our mission is straightforward: theSeeds of Invent cleaner, safer, energy-efficient technologies that protect the planet Innovation and human health. Our approach is unique: Students and researchers collaborate at the CEBC to design cleaner, safer, economically viable chemical technologies. We actively seek out—and partner with— chemical companies. This industry-focused approach, uncommon in many university research programs, helps maximize the potential impact of our discoveries. As the chemical industry’s global output continues to expand, the Center’s mission is more relevant than ever. www.cebc.ku.edu Contributors: Claudia Bode, The Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis Nancy Crisp, Chris Lyon, Albert Masino Tel: (785) 864-6050, Email: [email protected] Designer: Nancy Crisp Copyright © 2018 from the From Aspiration to Achievement From the start as a National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center, our strategic goal has been to position the CEBC as a resource for the Director chemical industry. During the past 15 years, we created a diversified research portfolio, built a unique infrastructure, broadened expertise, and fostered industry collaborations. We are pleased to report the successes for this past year, which underscore just how far we have come. A record number of our member companies are now sponsoring research projects at the CEBC. We are also delighted that ExxonMobil decided to rejoin as an industry partner. The surge in sponsored projects boosted our overall funding above $4.5 million for the year. Several exciting new initiatives are underway. Our resource-efficient cata- lytic conversion technologies for shale gas, biomass and carbon dioxide are advancing. The blend of faculty expertise and unique high-pressure instru- mentation are serving to effectively tackle both the fundamental and practical challenges posed by such complex reaction environments. Recent faculty recruitments have strengthened CEBC’s capabilities, and we now welcome Alan Allgeier who brings a wealth of industrial experience in catalysis. The expanded expertise in computational chemistry, advanced sep- arations, electrochemistry, surface science and materials characterization has spawned unique collaborations and important discoveries. Many have caught the attention of the science community through publications in prestigious journals, cover articles, and edited books, as highlighted in this report. CEBC Publications each year since inception We congratulate two faculty members who received prestigious honors, bringing national visibility to the center and KU. Franklin Tao was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Raghu- nath Chaudhari won the 2018 Raney Award given by the Organic Reactions Catalysis Society for outstanding contributions to the science and applications of base metal catalysts. We are indeed proud of their accomplishments. We are pleased to welcome Cynthia Jenks of Argonne National Laboratory, John Kitchin of Carnegie Mellon University, and Clark Landis of the Univer- sity of Wisconsin as new members of CEBC’s Science Advisory Board. These renowned scientists and engineers play a key role in assessment and strategic planning. Our accomplishments and sustained successes are made possible by the dedicated work of students, researchers, faculty, and staff. Support from KU Annual R&D Funding by source administrators and guidance from our advisory boards are essential as well, shows significant growth and gratefully appreciated. in industry funding Sincerely, Dr. Bala Subramaniam CEBC Director CEBC 2017 Annual Report | 2 Industry support spikes in 2017 ties. Chemical companies took notice of the CEBC this year—big time. Capabili Seven companies launched nine projects with the center in 2017. At more than $1.5 million, these investments are ten times greater than the 2016 level of industry support. The trend continues into 2018, with three new projects just in the first quarter. Industry reps attend The new industry-aided projects build on research advances made at the CEBC Ozonolysis test: CEBC’s 2016 Emerging with state and federal funds. While public funding plants the seeds of innovation, Feedstocks Forum Associate corporate support guides new discoveries from lab to marketplace. Researcher Michael The benefits go both ways. Companies gain access to expertise and instruments. Lundin Students and postdocs gain experience and often employment opportunities. CEBC Director Bala Subramaniam noted that many of these companies attended an industry workshop at the center in 2016. He said, “I’m delighted to see that companies are interested in leveraging CEBC’s long-term success in both cutting- edge fundamental science and applied research.” CEBC infrastructure enhances industry projects . Since its 2003 start, the CEBC has acquired more than $7 million worth of equipment, largely from federal grants and industry membership funds. Many discoveries have Shiflett lab unique been made with this equipment, including 42 patents and 384 publications. in sorption analysis As anticipated, CEBC member companies are choosing to leverage this infrastructure for proprietary research. The reason: cost savings. While new reactors may cost tens The most advanced gravimetric microbalance of thousands of dollars, existing reactors can be used as-is or customized for a few laboratory in the U.S can be found at The thousand dollars. Companies can test out new ideas more easily and at less cost. University of Kansas in the Shiflett Foundation labs, where several gravimetric sorption In-demand specialized equipment: analyzers from Hiden Isochema are available . An oxidation spray reactor that reduces substrate and solvent burning, for CEBC research. improves mass transfer, and maintains constant temperature For dry gases, hydrocarbons and fluoro- . A specialized setup for ozonolysis with benign carbon dioxide that stabilizes carbons, an IGA microbalance with a mass the ozone, curtails flammability risks and enhances product selectivity spectrometer, and a XEMIS microbalance are . Three continuous membrane reactors for retaining costly metal catalysts, both operational. The XEMIS can operate at as well as a six reactor Parr parallel system and several batch, fixed-bed, high pressure with corrosive and toxic gases, fluidized bed and continuous stirred tank reactors and KU is the only U.S. university that has one. A first-of-its kind apparatus for electrocatalysis with liquid carbon dioxide The lab also houses an IGASorp instrument, and a custom-built scanning electrochemical microscopy instrument a microbalance specifically designed to . X-ray photoelectron spectrometer that operates at ambient pressures measure the sorption properties of vapors . In-situ vibrational spectroscopy for surface science analysis such as water, alcohols, and ketones. A Hiden Intelligent Gravimetric Analyzer . A milling machine for in-house equipment fabrication (IGA), provides a range of gas sorp- tion measurements, as well as kinetic and surface area studies for solids and liquids over a wide range of experimental conditions. Mark Shiflett 3 | CEBC 2017 Annual Report XEMIS microbalance at Shiflett’s KU lab Modeling catalysts, improving design . ResearchCaricato research group, Finding the perfect catalyst is like winning the lottery— from left: Marco Caricato, only harder. Like picking Powerball numbers, stumbling Hunter Leblanc, Amy Jystad upon the right combination of atoms and molecules, time and temperature, materials and methods, can take years. Assistant Professor of Chemistry Marco Caricato is part of Kevin Leonard an NSF-funded project at the CEBC focused on trying to Microwaves cook up beat the improbable odds. Connecting theoreticians with hot electrocatalysts experimentalists, the project aims to find how catalysts work . at the most fundamental level. Such knowledge could predict Microwave ovens have been rapidly ways to design new and better catalysts — rationally instead of randomly. popping corn and splattering soup for In a recent paper (see back cover), Caricato’s group described 70 model decades. But they are not just for kitchens. structures they created using a computational method called density Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering functional theory. The models simulate geometrical arrangements of Kevin Leonard and his students recently possible catalytic sites in mesoporous silicates, where metal atoms are found that microwaves help make nimble grafted into the silicon-oxygen framework. electrocatalysts for splitting water. Associate Researcher Anand Ramanathan synthesized and tested the Solar-powered water splitting gives off mesoporous silicates in the lab. With their spacious pores, such materials oxygen and hydrogen, a clean-burning show promise as catalysts for the bulky biomass molecules leftover from the source of energy. Electrocatalysts speed up pulp and paper industry. the process, but are currently made from rare and costly precious metals. Caricato’s computer simulations are consistent with Ramanathan’s experiments: Acidity depends on the type of metal and how it’s grafted Leonard’s group—and many others around into the silica. This confirms that the models are representative of the actual the world—are racing to develop high- material. It also reveals how structure enhances