Aichele C.P., Weston J., Venkataramani D., Briggs N., Crossley S., Harwell J., White J., Resasco D.
Oklahoma State University, US
Keywords: carbon nanotubes, emulsions, interfacial catalysis, particles
This presentation highlights recent advances by the Center for Interfacial Reaction Engineering (CIRE) in designing and tailoring catalytic particles for use in phase-transfer catalysis. CIRE consists of researchers across several disciplines including nanotechnology, thermodynamics, interfacial phenomena, and catalysis from three different universities. The four central research thrusts for CIRE are: 1. Synthesizing and characterizing nanoparticles that optimize the reactivity, emulsion stability, mass transfer, and interfacial area of phase-transfer catalysis processes; 2. Understanding how catalytic reaction mechanisms and kinetics change when the reactions take place at a liquid-liquid interface; 3. Using spectroscopy and molecular modeling to understand the reaction pathways, competitive adsorption, and thermodynamics of model reactions on interfacial catalysts; 4. Combining experimentation, theory, and modeling to understand the kinetics of mass transfer and phase equilibrium in dynamic, phase-transfer environments and how altering particle properties can be used to optimize phase transfer. The results highlight the importance of particle wetting on dynamic interfacial and overall emulsion behavior and has potential importance for a variety of applications in the biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and the energy sectors.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 2, Materials for Energy, Efficiency and Sustainability: TechConnect Briefs 2015
Published: June 14, 2015
Pages: 95 - 98
Industry sector: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
Topic: Catalysis
ISBN: 978-1-4987-4728-8