Conversion of Biomass-derived Synthesis Gas to Mixed
Alcohols Catalyzed by Nano-sized Molybdenum Disulfide*
Devinder Mahajan1, Julia Hasty1, Jesse Cole1, Henry Mei1, Farhan Ahmad1, Sathish
Ponnurangam2, P.Somasundaran2
1
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Advanced Energy Research and
Technology Center Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794 USA
2
Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York,
NY 10027 USA
ABSTRACT
Economical biomass utilization pathways to produce transportation fuels and chemicals are of
commercial interest. Our interest is in developing high-density renewable fuels with focus on
higher alcohols. Supported Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been extensively studied for
catalytic synthesis of Higher Alcohols Synthesis (HAS) from synthesis gas (syngas) derived
from biomass. However, the process is associated with low space-time-yield (STY) and poor
selectivity under high temperature (300o- 325oC) and high pressure (10-20 MPa) operation,
making it thermodynamically limited to low conversion and unattractive for commercial
application. Nano-sized MoS2 catalyst particles provide large surface area, hence has the
potential to improve selectivity to alcohols but the yields are low due to process engineering
constraints: catalyst aggregation and mass-transfer limitations. This talk will describe the use of
oil-in-polyethylene glycol (PEG) microemulsion-based encapsulation of hydrophobic catalyst
nanoparticles (MoS2) to prevent aggregation, increase surface area and increase mass-transfer
across the two phases. The conversion of syngas (H2/CO= 2:1) to higher alcohols was
evaluated using slurried nano-MoS2 in a 300mL stirred batch reactor. First, nano-sized MoS2
was synthesized by sonolysis and then mixed with non-ionic surfactant (Tergitol NP-8) in two
different solve¬¬¬nts; PEG-400 and Ethylflo-164 (a C30 oil) for batch evaluation. Our results
show an increase in STY, reaching 1.2 Kg alcohols/Kg catalyst/h. The corresponding product
selectivity reached 62 wt% methanol and 52 wt% to ethanol in two separate runs when
microemulsion-based catalysts were employed. These results open up possibility of novel and
efficient route to higher alcohols from biomass.
*This work was supported by a joint funding from the National Science Foundation Center for
the BioEnergy Research and Development (CBERD) and the Center for Particulate and
Surfactant Systems (CPaSS)
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Devinder Mahajan is Professor and Graduate Program Director of Chemical & Molecular
Engineering. Concurrently, he serves as Jefferson Science Fellow with the U.S. Department of
State and Associate Editor, Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy (JRSE). His
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8 Annual NYS Biotechnology Symposium
- May 19 & 20, 2016 -
research includes monitoring energy policies and development of low-carbon technologies to
address sustainability and climate change issues. He has published over 260 papers, delivered
over 100 lectures, edited 8 special journal volumes, and holds 15 patents. Dr. Mahajan’s awards
include: NEDO Fellow, Japan (1997); Outstanding Mentor Award from the U.S. Department of
Energy (2007, 2009); University Visiting Professor, Universitá di Roma “La Sapienza”; Roma,
Italy (2008); Visiting Researcher, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan
(2009); Fulbright Specialist Scholar, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand (2010);
Member, International Committee on Science (ICSU)- U.N. Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) (2013-14); U.S. Government Representative, Committee on Energy Research and
Technology (CERT), International Energy Agency; Marie Curie Researcher (2013-16) under the
nine-country consortium led by UPM, Madrid and European Commission In 2015, he was
selected as a High-End Foreign Expert- Energy & Environment, China. For more information,
visit the webpage at: http://www.stonybrook.edu/cme/devindermahajan.html or www.aertc.org
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8 Annual NYS Biotechnology Symposium
- May 19 & 20, 2016 -