Final technical report for the Center for Catalytic Hydrocarbon Functionalization (an EFRC)
Greater than 95% of all materials produced by the chemical industry are derived from a small slate of simple hydrocarbons that are derived primarily from natural gas and petroleum, predominantly through oxygenation, C–C bond formation, halogenation or amination. Yet, current technologies for hydrocarbon conversion are typically high temperature, multi-step processes that are energy and capital intensive and result in excessive emissions (including carbon dioxide). The Center for Catalytic Hydrocarbon Functionalization (CCHF) brought together research teams with the broad coalition of skills and knowledge needed to make the fundamental advances in catalysis required for next-generation technologies to convert hydrocarbons (particularly light alkanes and methane) at high efficiency and low cost. Our new catalyst technologies offer many opportunities including enhanced utilization of natural gas in the transportation sector (via conversion to liquid fuels), more efficient generation of electricity from natural gas using direct methane fuel cells, reduced energy consumption and waste production for large petrochemical processes, and the preparation of high value molecules for use in biological/medical applications or the agricultural sector. The five year collaborative project accelerated fundamental understanding of catalyst design for the conversion of C–H bonds to functionalized products, essential to achieve the goals listed above, as evidenced by the publication of 134 manuscripts. Many of these fundamental advancements provide a foundation for potential commercialization, as evidenced by the submission of 11 patents from research support by the CCHF.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0001298
- OSTI ID:
- 1331989
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-UVA-0001298
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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