Mastering metal-PHOSphonate properties in PORE-size engineered catalysts for bio-refinery processes (PHOSPORE).

The pursuit of recovering bio-renewable chemicals from biomass waste is a key aspect in the sustainable resource management targets, put forward in the European Green deal. However, converting these natural waste streams to useful target molecules requires high-performance catalysts with tunable surface groups, porosity and extraordinary stability in the demanding bio-refinery conditions. The reproducible wet-chemical synthesis and structural control of these catalysts forms the central challenge of the PHOSPORE project. More specifically, designed porous networks consisting of an organic-inorganic scaffold based on phosphonate-metal linkages are targeted. The first aim of the project is to tune these interactions, maximizing the catalytic performance of these novel materials. A second objective is to fundamentally understand how the porous phosphonate-metal networks are built. Hereto, the formulation of controlled model materials (i.e., MOFs and clusters) is combined with an in-depth analytical methodology to elucidate the synthesis-properties relations of amorphous (meso)porous metal phosphonates. Eventually, the newly obtained materials will be tested in two representative bio-refinery processes being cellulose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural conversion and glycerol acetylation. Hence, an essential knowledge leap in the intertwined hybrid porous material development and catalytic platform chemical conversion is anticipated.

Keywords:POROUS MATERIALS, HYBRID MATERIALS, CATALYSIS, MATERIALS CHARACTERISATION

Disciplines:Solid state chemistry, Catalysis, Materials synthesis

Project type:Collaboration project