Advanced synthesis and characterization of catalysts for ethane valorization

• Grant number: 24/00435-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: May 01, 2024
• End date: April 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Elisabete Moreira Assaf
• Grantee: Heloisa Ruschel Bortolini
• Supervisor: Justin Notestein
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Northwestern University, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/06909-0 - Tandem reactions of CO2 reduction and ethane dehydroaromatization, BP.DD

Abstract

The large supply of ethane from shale gas makes the study of its catalytic conversion to products with higher added value quite relevant. Ethane is converted to ethylene through the dehydrogenation reaction, studies show that the addition of CO2 favors the reaction, leading to higher ethane conversions and less catalytic deactivation. The reaction of converting ethane to aromatics is known as dehydroaromatization and is an alternative to cracking naphtha to produce BTX. A direct process that would make it possible to obtain aromatics from ethane is highly desired, and the tandem reactions of CO2 reduction and ethane aromatization may be the key to the development of this technology. Catalysts reported in literature struggle with balance between ethane conversion and selectivity to desired products, besides problems with deactivation and control of active sites in the catalyst synthesis. The purpose of this project is the advanced synthesis of catalysts for ethane dehydrogenation and dehydroaromatization through modern and sophisticated synthesis methods that may be capable of overcome the described challenges. Through preparation methods as atomic layer deposition, the objective is to develop catalysts with a controlled structure. Traditional and in-situ characterization will be performed to understand the relationship between the catalyst synthesis, its properties and activity.