Converting Biomass into Value-Added Products Using Nanoporous Catalysts

This project aims to develop novel nanoporous solid catalysts for efficient conversion of agricultural biomass waste to value-added chemical products. The project will develop highly efficient, cost-effective, reliable and stable catalysts with precise structural and functionality control. The benefits of the project include the advancement of our understanding in catalytic processes during the priming grant and the strong commercial potential of the highly efficient, low-cost catalysts that will be developed during this project. Expected outcomes of this project include not only efficient generation of useful chemical products from biomass waste replacing the need to produce them from refining petroleum, but also generation of useful chemical products with novel properties. The project will have significant economic impact on a number of areas, including agriculture, waste reduction and recycling, food production, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and biofuel industries. The project will advance knowledge in many fields including catalysis, material science and make a significant contribution in the field of biomass conversion for the synthesis of low-cost and value-added chemicals. The project will also contribute to addressing global pollution issues caused by conventional burning of agricultural waste and petroleum refining.

Selected Publications:

1. Flexible nitrogen-doped carbon heteroarchitecture derived from ZIF-8/ZIF-67 hybrid coating on cotton biomass waste with high supercapacitive properties
2. Magnetic nanocellulose: A potential material for removal of dye from water
3. Jute-derived microporous/mesoporous carbon with ultra-high surface area using a chemical activation process
4. High surface area nanoporous carbon derived from high quality jute from Bangladesh
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876107017302730

Collaboration:

1. Prof. Kevin Wu, National Taiwan University, Taiwan