Chemistry Seminar - Catalysing sustainable chemical manufacturing from biomass

Title: Catalysing sustainable chemical manufacturing from biomass

Speaker:  Prof Adam Lee, Griffith University

Abstract: The anthropogenic origin of climate change from combustible carbon, and desire to establish a global circular economy is driving the quest for new sustainable manufacturing processes. Catalysis has a rich history of facilitating energy efficient, selective molecular transformations, and will play a pivotal role in overcoming the scientific and engineering barriers to sustainable and economically viable energy vectors and chemicals. This presentation describes challenges in the design of catalytic technologies for biofuels and platform chemicals synthesis.

Advances in the rational design of nanoporous solid acid and base catalysts enable the fabrication of hierarchical porous architectures in which different active sites are spatially compartmentalised. Synergies between nanoporous solid acids and metal nanoparticles organocatalysts also facilitate active and selective upgrading of phenolic components of pyrolysis bio-oils to hydrocarbon fuels, and precious metal thrifting. Active site compartmentalisation, synthesis of bifunctional organocatalysts and the use of flow chemistry facilitate chemical cascades to produce valuable (bioderived) chemical intermediates.

Biography: Adam received his BA and PhD from the University of Cambridge at which he also undertook a postdoctoral fellowship. He is Professor of Sustainable Chemistry at Griffith University, and previously held Chair appointments at Cardiff, Warwick, Monash, Aston and RMIT Universities. His research addresses the rational design of nanoengineered materials for energy and environmental applications. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Royal Australian Chemical Institute, Associate Fellow of the IChemE, Editor-in-Chief of Materials Today Chemistry, and recipient of the 2011 McBain Medal, 2012 Beilby Medal and Prize, and 2023 RACI Welcome Award. Adam has co-authored >300 publications (h=index 84) and is a co-investigator and Flagship Project co-lead on the ARC Centre of Excellence ‘Green Electrochemical Transformation of Carbon Dioxide’ GETCO2.