Elucidation of Catalyst Fouling Mechanisms in Bio-Oil Hydroprocessing
EMSL Project ID
44896
Abstract
As a part of the scope of work for the project, "Catalytic Deoxygenation of Pyrolysis Oils," which was funded through the DOE-EERE Office of the Biomass Program solicitation DE-FOA-0000342, catalyst analysis will be undertaken at EMSL to provide insights into the catalyst fouling mechanisms in bio-oil hydroprocessing. In this project catalyst samples will be analyzed before and after use in model compound and bio-oil hydroprocessing to understand changes in catalyst structure, catalytic site fouling, and chemical reaction mechanisms leading to fouling. The EMSL resources related to surface science and chemical composition analysis will be used in this research. Expected analyses include electron microscope imaging (SEM and TEM) and subsequent chemical analysis by EDS and XPS for evaluating catalyst materials to determine transformations and fouling. Catalyst active sites can only be imaged by electron microscopy as their structures are on the nanoscale. Evaluation of the trace components and their electronic states can provide insight into the catalyst forms and transitions. Fouling by bio-oil trace components can also be evaluated. Solid state NMR for carbon-13 analysis will also provide input to understanding the chemical mechanisms in bio-oil transformation.
Project Details
Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2011-07-25
End Date
2012-07-29
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator