Download or read book Engineering Mixed Solvent Environments for Acid catalyzed Biomass Conversion Reactions written by Theodore W. Walker and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It has been shown that mixtures of water with polar aprotic cosolvents (mixed solvent environments) can be used to control the rates and selectivities of acid-catalyzed biomass conversion reactions. A quantitative understanding of these solvent effects would therefore enable a powerful measure of control over biomass conversion processes, but this framework is currently lacking. This dissertation combines reaction kinetics studies, spectroscopic methods and molecular dynamics investigations to explore the fundamental aspects underlying the reactivity of biomass-derived oxygenates in mixed solvent environments, and the solvent-mediated decomposition of real biomasses over acid catalysts. Chapters 3 and 4 focus on the production of levoglucosenone (LGO) from cellulose in mixed solvent environments containing dilute sulfuric acid. In Chapter 3, we show that water mediates the interconversion of LGO and its isomer, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Following this insight, we demonstrate in Chapter 4 how the composition water/tetrahydrofuran mixtures can be modulated to control the selectivity of LGO and HMF as coproducts from cellulose conversion. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 combine reaction kinetics studies and molecular dynamics (MD) investigations to probe the fundamental bases whereby mixed solvent environments control the rates and selectivities of acid-catalyzed biomass conversion reactions. In Chapter 5, we show that the rates of acid-catalyzed reactions of biomass-derived oxygenates generalize with the MD-observable properties of water-enriched local solvent domains that nucleate in the immediate vicinity of solvated reactant molecules. In Chapter 6, we demonstrate how the selectivity of acid-catalyzed biomass conversion reactions can be partially understood in terms of the thermodynamic relationships between solvated reactant and product molecules in mixed solvent environments. In Chapter 7, we distill these insights into a model-predictive framework that allows for the rational design of mixed solvent environments for biomass conversion processes using computationally efficient screening methods and minimal experimentation. In Chapter 8, we use solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to explore how mixed solvents containing acid catalysts alter the properties cellulosic structures in real biomass. We show that these NMR-observable properties predict the extent to which hydrolytic enzymes are able to depolymerize the residual cellulose into glucose. This dissertation is concluded with a discussion of future directions.
Download or read book Insights Into Solvent Effects in Acid catalyzed Biomass Conversion Reactions written by Max A. Mellmer and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 31 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Catalysis for Clean Energy and Environmental Sustainability written by K. K. Pant and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-05-13 with total page 933 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is part of a two-volume work that offers a unique blend of information on realistic evaluations of catalyst-based synthesis processes using green chemistry principles and the environmental sustainability applications of such processes for biomass conversion, refining, and petrochemical production. The volumes provide a comprehensive resource of state-of-the-art technologies and green chemistry methodologies from researchers, academics, and chemical and manufacturing industrial scientists. The work will be of interest to professors, researchers, and practitioners in clean energy catalysis, green chemistry, chemical engineering and manufacturing, and environmental sustainability. This volume focuses on the potentials, recent advances, and future prospects of catalysis for biomass conversion and value-added chemicals production via green catalytic routes. Readers are presented with a mechanistic framework assessing the development of product selective catalytic processes for biomass and biomass-derived feedstock conversion. The book offers a unique combination of contributions from experts working on both lab-scale and industrial catalytic processes and provides insight into the use of various catalytic materials (e.g., mineral acids, heteropolyacid, metal catalysts, zeolites, metal oxides) for clean energy production and environmental sustainability.
Download or read book Reaction Pathways and Mechanisms in Thermocatalytic Biomass Conversion II written by Marcel Schlaf and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-10-30 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Volume II presents the latest advances in catalytic hydrodeoxygenation and other transformations of some cellulosic platform chemicals to high value-added products. It presents the theoretical evaluation of the energetics and catalytic species involved in potential pathways of catalyzed carbohydrate conversion, pathways leading to the formation of humin-based by-products, and thermal pathways in deriving chemicals from lignin pyrolysis and hydrodeoxygenation. Catalytic gasification of biomass under extreme thermal conditions as an extension of pyrolysis is also discussed. Marcel Schlaf, PhD, is a Professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, Canada. Z. Conrad Zhang, PhD, is a Professor at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
Download or read book Solvent Effects in Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Fuels and Chemicals written by William Elliott and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biomass conversion reactions often occur in the condensed phase and it is therefore critical that we understand how solvents affect reactions. This dissertation investigates interactions between solvents, reactants, catalysts, and transition states to better understand how solvents influence chemical reactions.Water is detrimental to the performance of acid catalysts and therefore the development of water tolerant acid catalysts is highly desirable. We have investigated the effects of hydrophobicity on water tolerance in homogeneous and heterogeneous sulfonic acid catalysts. In the homogeneous catalysts, we showed that hydrophobicity had no effect on tolerance to water. Solution calorimetry was able to demonstrate that catalyst deactivation occurs via preferential solvation of the catalytic proton by water. Silica-supported sulfonic acid catalysts modified with alkyl groups of varying lengths were then investigated. We showed that under anhydrous conditions, increased hydrophobicity (longer alkyl chains) was detrimental to catalyst activity. Additionally, under hydrous conditions, increased hydrophobicity did not improve water tolerance.We have comprehensively investigated a multi-titration technique for the quantification of thiols (SH) and sulfonic acids (SO3H) in modified mesoporous silicas. The set of analytical tools presented in this study will aid future work for quantitatively investigating the cooperativity of mixed functional groups introduced into heterogeneous catalysts.We have investigated the effect solvent composition has on acid dissociation constants in binary mixture of water and polar-aprotic solvents. Conductivity measurements we made and fit to the full Pitts conductivity model to obtain dissociation constants. Dissociation constants were then used to determine the concentration of dissociation protons under reaction conditions in the dehydration of fructose to 5-HMF in waterDMSO mixtures.Finally, we have probed the origin on non-monotonic changes in glucose conversion rates with solvent composition over NaX zeolite in waterGVL mixtures. Low concentrations of GVL simultaneously suppress the uptake of glucose into NaX pores and suppress conversion rates of glucose. At higher concentrations of GVL, uptake of glucose increases along with conversion rates of glucose. High temperature/pressure solid state NMR was used to quantify the real time pore concentration of reactants and products.
Download or read book Fundamental Reaction Kinetics Studies of Acid catalyzed Biomass Conversion Reactions Into Chemicals and Fuels written by Max A. Mellmer and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The transition to a sustainable source of chemicals and energy is being driven by political, economic, and environmental concerns associated with petroleum-derived feedstocks. In this context, the conversion of biomass into platform molecules and fuels has received increasing interest. Acid catalysis is pervasive in biomass conversion processes, and recently, it has been shown that organic solvents are beneficial in the chemical conversion of biomass. This dissertation discusses strategies in utilizing nonaqueous solvents for the efficient upgrading of biomass to platform molecules using both homogeneous and heterogeneous acid catalysts, and based on reaction kinetics studies, we outline fundamental principles in understanding solvation effects in acid-catalyzed reactions. Chapter 3, Chapter 4, and Chapter 5 focus on the upgrading of biomass-derived molecules to yield platform chemicals. In Chapter 3, we show that high yields of hydroxymethylfurfural from glucose can be achieved using biomass-derived solvents and a combination of solid Lewis and Brønsted acids. In Chapter 4, the production of furfural from xylose, arabinose, and ribose was studied using H-Beta zeolite in [gamma]-valerolactone. We show in Chapter 5 that furfuryl alcohol is hydrolyzed to levulinic acid in high yields using H-ZSM-5 zeolite as the catalyst in tetrahydrofuran-water solvent systems. In Chapter 6 and Chapter 7, we use polar aprotic solvents to upgrade constituent fractions of biomass. We show in Chapter 6 that cellulose and corn stover can be converted with high yield to levulinic acid using Amberlyst 70 and [gamma]-valerolactone. Chapter 7 outlines a processing strategy using [gamma]-valerolactone for the simultaneous conversion of hemicellulose and cellulose in a single reactor to produce furfural and levulinic acid. Chapter 8, Chapter 9, and Chapter 10 report reaction kinetics studies providing insights into solvation effects in acid-catalyzed reactions using polar aprotic solvents. In Chapter 8, we studied the reaction kinetics of the dehydration of xylose into furfural using nonaqueous solvents. We show in Chapter 9 that polar aprotic solvents also enhance the kinetics of biomass hydrolysis reactions. Finally, in Chapter 10, we dissect solvation effects into initial and transition state contributions using experimental and computational methodologies. This dissertation is concluded with a discussion of future directions.
Download or read book Chemical Catalysts for Biomass Upgrading written by Mark Crocker and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-03-09 with total page 634 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive reference to the use of innovative catalysts and processes to turn biomass into value-added chemicals Chemical Catalysts for Biomass Upgrading offers detailed descriptions of catalysts and catalytic processes employed in the synthesis of chemicals and fuels from the most abundant and important biomass types. The contributors?noted experts on the topic?focus on the application of catalysts to the pyrolysis of whole biomass and to the upgrading of bio-oils. The authors discuss catalytic approaches to the processing of biomass-derived oxygenates, as exemplified by sugars, via reactions such as reforming, hydrogenation, oxidation, and condensation reactions. Additionally, the book provides an overview of catalysts for lignin valorization via oxidative and reductive methods and considers the conversion of fats and oils to fuels and terminal olefins by means of esterification/transesterification, hydrodeoxygenation, and decarboxylation/decarbonylation processes. The authors also provide an overview of conversion processes based on terpenes and chitin, two emerging feedstocks with a rich chemistry, and summarize some of the emerging trends in the field. This important book: -Provides a comprehensive review of innovative catalysts, catalytic processes, and catalyst design -Offers a guide to one of the most promising ways to find useful alternatives for fossil fuel resources -Includes information on the most abundant and important types of biomass feedstocks -Examines fields such as catalytic cracking, pyrolysis, depolymerization, and many more Written for catalytic chemists, process engineers, environmental chemists, bioengineers, organic chemists, and polymer chemists, Chemical Catalysts for Biomass Upgrading presents deep insights on the most important aspects of biomass upgrading and their various types.
Download or read book Thermochemical Processing of Biomass written by Robert C. Brown and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-05-28 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive examination of the large number of possible pathways for converting biomass into fuels and power through thermochemical processes Bringing together a widely scattered body of information into a single volume, this book provides complete coverage of the many ways that thermochemical processes are used to transform biomass into fuels, chemicals and power. Fully revised and updated, this new edition highlights the substantial progress and recent developments that have been made in this rapidly growing field since publication of the first edition and incorporates up-to-date information in each chapter. Thermochemical Processing of Biomass: Conversion into Fuels, Chemicals and Power, 2nd Edition incorporates two new chapters covering: condensed phased reactions of thermal deconstruction of biomass and life cycle analysis of thermochemical processing systems. It offers a new introductory chapter that provides a more comprehensive overview of thermochemical technologies. The book also features fresh perspectives from new authors covering such evolving areas as solvent liquefaction and hybrid processing. Other chapters cover combustion, gasification, fast pyrolysis, upgrading of syngas and bio-oil to liquid transportation fuels, and the economics of thermochemically producing fuels and power, and more. Features contributions by a distinguished group of European and American researchers offering a broad and unified description of thermochemical processing options for biomass Combines an overview of the current status of thermochemical biomass conversion as well as engineering aspects to appeal to the broadest audience Edited by one of Biofuels Digest’s "Top 100 People" in bioenergy for six consecutive years Thermochemical Processing of Biomass: Conversion into Fuels, Chemicals and Power, 2nd Edition will appeal to all academic researchers, process chemists, and engineers working in the field of biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals. It is also an excellent book for graduate and advanced undergraduate students studying biomass, biofuels, renewable resources, and energy and power generation.
Download or read book Reaction Pathways and Mechanisms in Thermocatalytic Biomass Conversion I written by Marcel Schlaf and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-09-25 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Volume I mainly focuses on the current understanding of the reaction pathways and mechanisms involved in several important catalytic conversions of cellulose and carbohydrates. It starts with nanoscale illustrations of biomass structures and describes various reactions including cellulose depolymerization to sugars, catalytic aldose-ketose isomerization and dehydration, selective oxidation, hydrogenolysis of cellulose and sugars, and the conversion of short carbohydrates. The specificity and function of different catalysts and reaction media in relation to the catalytic performances for these reactions are discussed with significant mechanistic details. Marcel Schlaf, PhD, is a Professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, Canada. Z. Conrad Zhang, PhD, is a Professor at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
Download or read book The Role of Catalysis for the Sustainable Production of Bio fuels and Bio chemicals written by Kostas Triantafyllidis and published by Newnes. This book was released on 2013-03-19 with total page 607 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Role of Catalysis for the Sustainable Production of Bio-fuels and Bio-chemicals describes the importance of catalysis for the sustainable production of biofuels and biochemicals, focused primarily on the state-of-the-art catalysts and catalytic processes expected to play a decisive role in the "green" production of fuels and chemicals from biomass. In addition, the book includes general elements regarding the entire chain of biomass production, conversion, environment, economy, and life-cycle assessment. Very few books are available on catalysis in production schemes using biomass or its primary conversion products, such as bio-oil and lignin. This book fills that gap with detailed discussions of: Catalytic pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass Hybrid biogasoline by co-processing in FCC units Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to biofuels (biomass-to-liquid process) Steam reforming of bio-oils to hydrogen With energy prices rapidly rising, environmental concerns growing, and regulatory apparatus evolving, this book is a resource with tutorial, research, and technological value for chemists, chemical engineers, policymakers, and students. Includes catalytic reaction mechanism schemes and gives a clear understanding of catalytic processes Includes flow diagrams of bench-, pilot- and industrial-scale catalytic processing units and demonstrates the various process technologies involved, enabling easy selection of the best process Incorporates many tables, enabling easy comparison of data based on a critical review of the available literature
Download or read book Catalysis for Clean Energy and Environmental Sustainability written by K. K. Pant and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is part of a two-volume work that offers a unique blend of information on realistic evaluations of catalyst-based synthesis processes using green chemistry principles and the environmental sustainability applications of such processes for biomass conversion, refining, and petrochemical production. The volumes provide a comprehensive resource of state-of-the-art technologies and green chemistry methodologies from researchers, academics, and chemical and manufacturing industrial scientists. The work will be of interest to professors, researchers, and practitioners in clean energy catalysis, green chemistry, chemical engineering and manufacturing, and environmental sustainability. This volume focuses on the potentials, recent advances, and future prospects of catalysis for biomass conversion and value-added chemicals production via green catalytic routes. Readers are presented with a mechanistic framework assessing the development of product selective catalytic processes for biomass and biomass-derived feedstock conversion. The book offers a unique combination of contributions from experts working on both lab-scale and industrial catalytic processes and provides insight into the use of various catalytic materials (e.g., mineral acids, heteropolyacid, metal catalysts, zeolites, metal oxides) for clean energy production and environmental sustainability.
Download or read book Green Sustainable Process for Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Science written by Inamuddin and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2021-11-17 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Green Sustainable Process for Chemical and Environmental Engineering and Science: Switchable Solvents explores the preparation, properties, chemical processes and applications of this class of green solvents. The book provides an in-depth overview on the area of switchable solvents in various industrial applications, focusing on the purification and extraction of chemical compounds utilizing green chemistry protocols that include liquid-liquid, solid-liquid, liquid-gas and lipids separation technologies. In addition, it includes recent advances in greener extraction and separation processes. This book will be an invaluable guide to students, professors, scientists and R&D industrial specialists working in the field of sustainable chemistry, organic, analytical, chemical engineering, environmental and pharmaceutical sciences. Provides a broad overview of switchable solvents in sustainable chemical processes Compares the use of switchable solvents as greener solvents over conventional solvents Outlines eco-friendly organic synthesis and chemical processes using switchable solvents Lists various industrial separations/extraction processes using switchable solvents
Download or read book Solving Software Challenges for Exascale written by Stefano Markidis and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-02-18 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume contains the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the Second International Conference on Exascale Applications and Software, EASC 2014, held in Stockholm, Sweden, in April 2014. The 6 full papers presented together with 6 short papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 17 submissions. They are organized in two topical sections named: toward exascale scientific applications and development environment for exascale applications.
Download or read book High Pressure Technologies in Biomass Conversion written by Rafał M. Łukasik and published by Royal Society of Chemistry. This book was released on 2017-03-14 with total page 215 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In recent years carbon dioxide has played an increasingly important role in biomass processing. This book presents the state-of-the-art of a range of diverse approaches for the use of carbon dioxide in biomass valorisation. The book explores cutting-edge research and important advances in green high-pressure technologies. It gives an overview of the most relevant and promising applications of high-pressure CO2-based technologies in biomass processing from the perspective of the biorefinery concept. Demonstrating the interdisciplinary aspects of high-pressure technologies from biology, chemistry and biochemical engineering areas, this book brings researchers and industrialists up to date with the latest advances in this field, including novel technologies for energy; biochemicals and materials production; and green chemical engineering processes.
Download or read book Biomass Valorization written by Davide Ravelli and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2021-05-24 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explore the potential of biomass-based chemicals with this comprehensive new reference from leading voices in the field With the depletion of fossil raw materials a readily ascertainable inevitability, the exploitation of biomass-based renewable derivatives becomes ever more practical and realistic. In Biomass Valorization: Sustainable Methods for the Production of Chemicals, accomplished researchers and authors Davide Ravelli and Chiara Samori deliver a thorough compilation of state-of-the-art techniques and most advanced strategies used to convert biomass into useful building blocks and commodity chemicals. Each chapter in this collection of insightful papers begins by detailing the core components of the described technology, along with a fulsome description of its advantages and limitations, before moving on to a discussion of recent advancements in the field. The discussions are grouped by the processed biomass, such as terrestrial biomass, aquatic biomass, and biomass-deriving waste. Readers will also benefit from the inclusion of: A thorough introduction to the role of biomass in the production of chemicals An exploration of biomass processing via acid, base and metal catalysis, as well as biocatalysis A practical discussion of biomass processing via pyrolysis and thermochemical-biological hybrid processes A concise treatment of biomass processing assisted by ultrasound and via electrochemical, photochemical and mechanochemical means Perfect for chemical engineers, catalytic chemists, biotechnologists, and polymer chemists, Biomass Valorization: Sustainable Methods for the Production of Chemicals will also earn a place in the libraries of environmental chemists and professionals working with organometallics and natural products chemists.
Download or read book Catalytic Biomass to Renewable Biofuels and Biomaterials written by Yi-Tong Wang and published by MDPI. This book was released on 2020-11-13 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biomass is the only renewable carbon source that can be converted into high value-added carbon products. This book presents a collection of studies on the conversion of catalytic biomass to renewable biofuels and biomaterials by chemical conversion, co-combustion technology, and biological conversion technology. The fundamentals and mechanisms of catalytic materials design, process optimization, product development, and by-product utilization are outlined. All articles were contributed by experts in catalysis and bioenergy fields to provide readers with a broad range of perspectives on cutting-edge applications. This book is an ideal reference guide for academic researchers and engineering technicians in the fields of catalytic material synthesis, biomass energy conversion, enzyme catalysis, pyrolysis, combustion, vaporization, and fermentation. It can also be used as a comprehensive reference source for university students in renewable energy science and engineering, agricultural engineering, thermal engineering, chemical engineering, material science, and environmental engineering. This book contains 12 articles: (1) “Catalytic Biomass to Renewable Biofuels and Biomaterials”; (2) “Experimental Design to Improve Cell Growth and Ethanol Production in Syngas Fermentation by Clostridium carboxidivorans”; (3) “Glycerol Acetylation Mediated by Thermally Hydrolysed Biosolids-Based Material”; (4) “Influence of Base-Catalyzed Organosolv Fractionation of Larch Wood Sawdust on Fraction Yields and Lignin Properties”; (5) “Ca-based Catalysts for the Production of High-Quality Bio-Oils from the Catalytic Co-Pyrolysis of Grape Seeds and Waste Tyres”; (6) “Synthesis of Diesel and Jet Fuel Range Cycloalkanes with Cyclopentanone and Furfural”; (7) “Gel-Type and Macroporous Cross-Linked Copolymers Functionalized with Acid Groups for the Hydrolysis of Wheat Straw Pretreated with an Ionic Liquid”; (8) “Role of Humic Acid Chemical Structure Derived from Different Biomass Feedstocks on Fe(III) Bioreduction Activity: Implication for Sustainable Use of Bioresources”; (9) “Selective Production of Terephthalonitrile and Benzonitrile via Pyrolysis of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) with Ammonia over Ca(OH)2/Al2O3 Catalysts”; (10) “Experimental Studies on Co-Combustion of Sludge and Wheat Straw”; (11) “Carbonate-Catalyzed Room-Temperature Selective Reduction of Biomass-Derived 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural into 2,5-Bis(hydroxymethyl)furan”; (12) “Clostridium sp. as Bio-Catalyst for Fuels and Chemicals Production in a Biorefinery Context”.
Download or read book Kinetics of Catalytic Upgrading Reactions of Biomass derived and Model Oxygenates written by Benginur Demir and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lignocellulosic biomass, as a renewable carbon-neutral resource, can be utilized to sustainably produce versatile chemicals and fuels while eliminating the environmental issues caused by unrestrained use of fossil fuels. Fundamental understanding of reaction mechanisms and kinetics for many catalytic transformations of biomass-derived compounds is required to synthesize a variety of chemical intermediates in the fine chemical, polymer and pharmaceutical industries. This dissertation focuses on the kinetics of catalytic upgrading reactions of biomass-derived and model oxygenates using a combined approach including experimental, characterization and computational methods to design rational solvent systems, novel catalysts and efficient reactors for biorefineries. Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 discuss the fundamentals of catalytic upgrading of biomass-derived carbohydrates, which have high content of oxygenated functional groups. In Chapter 3, we show that the use of polar aprotic solvents in acid-catalyzed biomass conversion reactions such as fructose dehydration to hydroxymethylfurfural leads to improved reaction rates and product selectivities. In Chapter 4, we illustrate that further increases in catalyst performance in polar aprotic solvents can be achieved through the addition of inorganic salts, specifically chlorides, which was explained by the initial and transition state contributions to solvation effects. In Chapter 5 and Chapter 6, we discuss metal-catalyzed hydrogenation of biomass-derived chemicals employing kinetic studies with a model oxygenate. Chapter 5 reports that platinum displays a self-adjusting surface that is active for the hydrogenation of acetone over a wide range of reaction conditions investigated by reaction kinetics measurements under steady-state and transient conditions, electronic structure calculations employing density-functional theory, and microkinetic modeling with Bragg-Williams and Langmuir approximations. Chapter 6 outlines the promotional effects of water addition on the rates of acetone hydrogenation over oxophilic metal catalysts. Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 present the sustainable valorization of lignin streams to propose a depolymerization technique of lignin that can be combined with a current polysaccharide-centric biorefinery process. Chapter 7 focuses on the kinetics and mechanistic studies on lignin hydrogenolysis on Pd/C to continuously manufacture near-theoretical yields of phenolic platform monomers in a flow-through system. Chapter 8 expands upon the process development on continuous lignin hydrogenolysis and provides insights on the reactivity and selectivity of bimetallic catalysts consisting of an easily-reducible metal (i.e., Pt and Pd) and an oxophilic promoter (i.e., Co and Ag) using [beta]-ether lignin model compounds. Finally, this dissertation is concluded with suggestions for future directions.
