Imaging working catalysts/catalytic correlations in nanoporous materials

• Grant number: 21/06876-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants - Phase 2
• Duration: February 01, 2022 - January 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Florian Edouard Pierre Meneau
• Grantee: Florian Edouard Pierre Meneau
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Carla Cristina Polo ; Paulo Ricardo de Abreu Furtado Garcia
• Associated research grant: 14/25964-5 - From the monomers to the nanoparticles: in situ real time investigation of gold nanoparticles formation by synchrotron and microscopy techniques, AP.JP
• Associated grant(s): 24/11652-3 - XIX International Small-Angle Scattering Conference (SAS2024), AR.EXT; 23/14321-5 - X-ray Nanotomography Imaging @ SIRIUS Ultra Low-Emittance Synchrotron Facility, AV.EXT
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/03547-5 - From micro- to nano-sized zeolite catalysts: in situ visualization of framework flexibility during ethanol upgrading processes, BP.PD; 22/13800-4 - Time-resolved in situ structural dynamics and 3D visualisation investigations of nanozeolites during catalysis, BP.DD; 22/13024-4 - Catalytic correlations in nanozeolites investigated by coherent diffraction imaging and x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy, BP.PD

Abstract

Environmental concerns determine the research paths aimed at seeking alternative sources for the production of chemicals that are currently supplied by the petroleum industry. As one of the alternatives, the biomass with the catalytic bioethanol dehydration is a valuable source of diethyl ether (DEE) and ethylene. The latter being important chemicals used either as solvent in organic synthesis/fuel additive or as petrochemical intermediate for polyethylene production. Zeolites play an important role in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis and separation processes. Despite of significant achievements made so far, the fundamental understandings of molecular adsorption and diffusion under the confinement of nanoporous materials is still a challenging question. The objective of this proposal is to apply different 3D coherent x-ray imaging and x-ray photon correlation spectrocopy methods for the characterisation of nanoporous zeolites in an environment reflecting realistic reaction conditions. The novelty of our project will consist in combining structural and kinetic sensitivities to probe the nanoscale spatial correlations between the catalytic centers/nanopores and the resulting catalytic activity. The outcome of this type of experiments will give the length scale (from atomic to nano) and the timescale necessary for the understanding of the zeolites dynamics under reaction conditions. (AU)