Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy Seminar - Dr Simon Beaumont - Catching catalysts in the act: detailed understanding of catalysts as an enabling technology for alternative liquid fuels and chemicals
1:00pm - 2:00pm /
Tuesday 15th March 2016
/ Venue: Stephenson Institute Seminar Room Chadwick Building
Type: Seminar /
Category: Research
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Global megatrends such as climate change, dwindling fossil fuel reserves and population growth put every increasing pressure on the means by which we produce liquid fuels and chemicals. Liquid fuels are inevitably needed to support our current generation of transport infrastructure for 20-30 years (or more) from any switch over point to other technology, and globally we use around 10 % of fossil fuel energy in the production of chemicals and petrochemicals. The use of biofeedstocks as “drop in replacements” for fuels and chemicals is being attempted in a number of ways, and catalysis is a key enabling technology for achieving such transformations. Our approach to understanding and improving catalytic transformations relies on a combination of nano-materials (to produce architecturally advanced materials that are nevertheless simplified from their real world counterparts), and in situ spectroscopy to observe such materials under actual catalytic conditions. In this context recent work on understanding Fischer Tropsch catalysts will be presented, and the consequences for an ongoing Durham-led project to convert seaweed to liquid fuels discussed. Similarly, work focusing on understanding layered double hydroxide catalysts, a potential solid catalyst for transesterification to produce biodiesels will be described.