Bert M. Weckhuysen

The Catalytic Valorization of Lignin for the Production of Renewable Chemicals

Biomass is an important feedstock for the renewable production of fuels, chemicals, and energy. As of 2005, over 3% of the total energy consumption in the United States was supplied by biomass, and it recently surpassed hydroelectric energy as the largest domestic source of renewable energy. Similarly, the European Union received 66.1% of its renewable energy from biomass, which thus surpassed the total combined contribution from hydropower, wind power, geothermal energy, and solar power. In addition to energy, the production of chemicals from biomass is also essential; indeed, the only renewable source of liquid transportation fuels is currently obtained from biomass.

Chemistry, spectroscopy and the role of supported vanadium oxides in heterogeneous catalysis

Abstract Supported vanadium oxide catalysts are active in a wide range of applications. In this review, an overview is given of the current knowledge available about vanadium oxide-based catalysts. The review starts with the importance of vanadium in heterogeneous catalysis, a discussion of the molecular structure of vanadium in water and in the solid state and an overview of the spectroscopic techniques enabling to study the chemistry of supported vanadium oxides. In the second part, it will be shown that advanced spectroscopic tools can be used to obtain detailed information about the coordination environment and oxidation state of vanadium oxides during each stage of the life-span of a heterogeneous catalyst. Three topics will be discussed: (1) the molecular structure of supported vanadium oxide catalysts under hydrated, dehydrated and reduced conditions, including the parameters, which influence the molecular structures formed at the surface of the support oxide; (2) elucidation of the active surface vanadium oxide during the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde, the reaction mechanism and the vanadium oxidesupport effect; and (3) deactivation of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts by migration of vanadium oxides and the development of a method preventing the structural breakdown of zeolites by trapping the mobile vanadium oxides in an aluminum oxide coating.

Structure and reactivity of surface vanadium oxide species on oxide supports

Abstract Supported vanadium oxide catalysts, containing surface vanadia species on oxide supports, are extensively employed as catalysts for many hydrocarbon oxidation reactions. This paper discusses the current fundamental information available about the structure and reactivity of surface vanadia species on oxide supports: monolayer surface coverage, stability of the surface vanadia monolayer, oxidation state of the surface vanadia species, molecular structures of the surface vanadia species (as a function of environment and catalyst composition), acidity of the surface vanadia species and reactivity of the surface vanadia species. Comparison of the molecular structure and reactivity information provides new fundamental insights into the catalytic properties of surface vanadia species during hydrocarbon oxidation reactions: (1) the role of terminal VO, bridging VOV and bridging VO-support bonds, (2) the number of surface vanadia sites required, (3) the influence of metal oxide additives, (4) the influence of surface acidic and basic sites, (5) the influence of preparation methods and (6) the influence of the specific oxide support phase. The unique physical and chemical characteristics of supported vanadia catalysts, compared to other supported metal oxide catalysts, for hydrocarbon oxidation reactions are also discussed.

The renaissance of iron-based Fischer–Tropsch synthesis: on the multifaceted catalyst deactivation behaviour

Iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts, which are applied in the conversion of CO and H2 into longer hydrocarbon chains, are historically amongst the most intensively studied systems in heterogeneous catalysis. Despite this, fundamental understanding of the complex and dynamic chemistry of the iron-carbon-oxygen system and its implications for the rapid deactivation of the iron-based catalysts is still a developing field. Fischer-Tropsch catalysis is characterized by its multidisciplinary nature and therefore deals with a wide variety of fundamental chemical and physical problems. This critical review will summarize the current state of knowledge of the underlying mechanisms for the activation and eventual deactivation of iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts and suggest systematic approaches for relating chemical identity to performance in next generation iron-based catalyst systems (210 references).

Paving the Way for Lignin Valorisation: Recent Advances in Bioengineering, Biorefining and Catalysis

Abstract Lignin is an abundant biopolymer with a high carbon content and high aromaticity. Despite its potential as a raw material for the fuel and chemical industries, lignin remains the most poorly utilised of the lignocellulosic biopolymers. Effective valorisation of lignin requires careful fine‐tuning of multiple “upstream” (i.e., lignin bioengineering, lignin isolation and “early‐stage catalytic conversion of lignin”) and “downstream” (i.e., lignin depolymerisation and upgrading) process stages, demanding input and understanding from a broad array of scientific disciplines. This review provides a “beginning‐to‐end” analysis of the recent advances reported in lignin valorisation. Particular emphasis is placed on the improved understanding of lignins biosynthesis and structure, differences in structure and chemical bonding between native and technical lignins, emerging catalytic valorisation strategies, and the relationships between lignin structure and catalyst performance.

Catalytic processes monitored at the nanoscale with tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Heterogeneous catalysts play a pivotal role in the chemical industry, but acquiring molecular insights into functioning catalysts remains a significant challenge. Recent advances in micro-spectroscopic approaches have allowed spatiotemporal information to be obtained on the dynamics of single active sites and the diffusion of single molecules. However, these methods lack nanometre-scale spatial resolution and/or require the use of fluorescent labels. Here, we show that time-resolved tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy can monitor photocatalytic reactions at the nanoscale. We use a silver-coated atomic force microscope tip to both enhance the Raman signal and to act as the catalyst. The tip is placed in contact with a self-assembled monolayer of p-nitrothiophenol molecules adsorbed on gold nanoplates. A photocatalytic reduction process is induced at the apex of the tip with green laser light, while red laser light is used to monitor the transformation process during the reaction. This dual-wavelength approach can also be used to observe other molecular effects such as monolayer diffusion.

Catalytic Dehydrogenation of Light Alkanes on Metals and Metal Oxides

A study is conducted to demonstrate catalytic dehydrogenation of light alkanes on metals and metal oxides. The study provides a complete overview of the materials used to catalyze this reaction, as dehydrogenation for the production of light olefins has become extremely relevant. Relevant factors, such as the specific nature of the active sites, as well as the effect of support, promoters, and reaction feed on catalyst performance and lifetime, are discussed for each catalytic Material. The study compares different catalysts in terms of the reaction mechanism and deactivation pathways and catalytic performance. The duration of the dehydrogenation step depends on the heat content of the catalyst bed, which decreases rapidly due to the endothermic nature of the reaction. Part of the heat required for the reaction is introduced to the reactors by preheating the reaction feed, additional heat being provided by adjacent reactors that are regenerating the coked catalysts.

Nanoscale chemical imaging of a working catalyst by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy

The modern chemical industry uses heterogeneous catalysts in almost every production process. They commonly consist of nanometre-size active components (typically metals or metal oxides) dispersed on a high-surface-area solid support, with performance depending on the catalysts’ nanometre-size features and on interactions involving the active components, the support and the reactant and product molecules. To gain insight into the mechanisms of heterogeneous catalysts, which could guide the design of improved or novel catalysts, it is thus necessary to have a detailed characterization of the physicochemical composition of heterogeneous catalysts in their working state at the nanometre scale. Scanning probe microscopy methods have been used to study inorganic catalyst phases at subnanometre resolution, but detailed chemical information of the materials in their working state is often difficult to obtain. By contrast, optical microspectroscopic approaches offer much flexibility for in situ chemical characterization; however, this comes at the expense of limited spatial resolution. A recent development promising high spatial resolution and chemical characterization capabilities is scanning transmission X-ray microscopy, which has been used in a proof-of-principle study to characterize a solid catalyst. Here we show that when adapting a nanoreactor specially designed for high-resolution electron microscopy, scanning transmission X-ray microscopy can be used at atmospheric pressure and up to 350 °C to monitor in situ phase changes in a complex iron-based Fisher–Tropsch catalyst and the nature and location of carbon species produced. We expect that our system, which is capable of operating up to 500 °C, will open new opportunities for nanometre-resolution imaging of a range of important chemical processes taking place on solids in gaseous or liquid environments.

Chemical Imaging of Spatial Heterogeneities in Catalytic Solids at Different Length and Time Scales

Knowledge of spatiotemporal gradients in heterogeneous catalysts is of paramount importance for the rational design of new and more sustainable catalytic processes. Heterogeneities resulting in space- and time-dependent phenomena occur at different length scales; that is, at the level of catalytic reactors (mm to m), catalyst bodies (microm to mm), catalyst grains (nm to microm), and active sites and metal (oxide) particles (A to nm). This Review documents the recent advances in the development of space- and time-resolved spectroscopic methods for imaging spatial heterogeneities within catalytic processes at these four length scales. Particular emphasis will be on the use of magnetic resonance, optical, and synchrotron-based methods, their capabilities in providing spatial resolution (1D and 2D imaging) and depth profiling (3D imaging) as well as on their time-resolved application, potential for single-molecule and nanoparticle detection, and use under reaction conditions. The Review ends with future prospects on spectroscopic markers for catalytic activity, label-free spectroscopy, tomography at the nanoscale, and correlative microscopic approaches.

Alkane Dehydrogenation over Supported Chromium Oxide Catalysts

The dehydrogenation of alkanes over supported chromium oxide catalysts in the absence of oxygen is of high interest for the industrial production of propene and isobutene. In this review, a critical overview is given of the current knowledge nowadays available about chromium-based dehydrogenation catalysts, in particularly the industrially used Cr/Al2O3 catalysts. It will be shown that detailed information on the dehydrogenation site can be obtained by using advanced spectroscopic tools. # 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.