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Design and development of unconventional catalytic conversion processes using electrons, photons, and microorganisms

Problem statement

Our long-term commitment to sustainability and a circular carbon economy involves unconventional catalytic conversion processes. We study various processes assisted by electrons, photons, or microorganisms to produce biofuels, chemicals, electricity, or treated water. For example, bio-electro-chemical systems, including microbial fuel cells (MFCs), electrolysis cells (MECs), and photo-assisted cells (PA-MECs), are promising technologies to simultaneously produce renewable energy and clean wastewater using active microorganisms as biocatalysts.

Our work aims to synthesize multi-functional catalysts and reactors to enhance electrical conductivity, photo-efficiency, microbiological affinity, porosity, hydrophilicity, and surface area for carbonaceous electrodes. We work with materials such as graphene oxide, metallic nanoparticles, nitride and carbide basic materials, and MXenes.

We consider new platform technologies to produce renewable biofuel and chemicals and treat wastewater using the nanotechnology and reaction engineering approach as an innovative combination to increase the productivity of these processes.

Goals

  • Develop and scale up electro-photo-bio-catalyst and -reactors
  • Propose novel processes to clean wastewater and produce electricity, chemicals, and bio-hydrogen
  • Model and simulate fuel cell performance
  • Use innovative catalysts (anode and cathode material) and reactor designs to improve fuel cell performance
EPB2023

Related People

Hend Omar Mohamed
Pewee Datoo Kolubah

Related Publications

Copper-Based Metal-Organic Porous Materials for CO2 Electrocatalytic Reduction to Alcohols

by Albo, Vallejo, Beobide, Castillo, Castaño, Irabien
ChemSusChem Year: 2017

Extra Information

Highly Cited Paper and Hot Paper according to Essential Science Indicators.

Abstract

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 has been investigated using four Cu‐based metal–organic porous materials supported on gas diffusion electrodes, namely, (1) HKUST‐1 metal–organic framework (MOF), [Cu3(μ6‐C9H3O6)2]n; (2) CuAdeAce MOF, [Cu3(μ3‐C5H4N5)2]n; (3) CuDTA mesoporous metal–organic aerogel (MOA), [Cu(μ‐C2H2N2S2)]n; and (4) CuZnDTA MOA, [Cu0.6Zn0.4(μ‐C2H2N2S2)]n. The electrodes show relatively high surface areas, accessibilities, and exposure of the Cu catalytic centers as well as favorable electrocatalytic CO2 reduction performance, that is, they have a high efficiency for the production of methanol and ethanol in the liquid phase. The maximum cumulative Faradaic efficiencies for CO2 conversion at HKUST‐1‐, CuAdeAce‐, CuDTA‐, and CuZnDTA‐based electrodes are 15.9, 1.2, 6, and 9.9 %, respectively, at a current density of 10 mA cm−2, an electrolyte‐flow/area ratio of 3 mL min cm−2, and a gas‐flow/area ratio of 20 mL min cm−2. We can correlate these observations with the structural features of the electrodes. Furthermore, HKUST‐1‐ and CuZnDTA‐based electrodes show stable electrocatalytic performance for 17 and 12 h, respectively.

Keywords

EPB HCE