Glucose Oxidation in Slurry Reactors and Rotating Foam Reactors

Demonstration of the Use of 3D X-ray Tomography to Compare the Uniformity of Catalyst Coatings in Open-Cell Foams

Coating open-cell foams by a catalytic layer is a necessary step to obtain structured catalytic foam reactors. The dip-coating method, consisting of immersing the foam in a suspension or in a sol-gel, is generally used to obtain the coating. The excess of liquid has to be evacuated from the foam to obtain a thin layer. Different methods to remove this excess of liquid have been investigated in the present work. The objective was to show that 3D X-ray tomography coupled to image analysis could be a tool to discriminate the methods by analysing the spatial localisation of the catalyst layer throughout the whole foam samples. A simple blowing by air in every direction seems to not be appropriate to obtain uniform coatings.

Nickel Sulfides Decorated SiC Foam for the Low Temperature Conversion of H₂S into Elemental Sulfur

The selective oxidation of H₂S to elemental sulfur was carried out on a NiS₂/SiC^foam catalyst under reaction temperatures between 40 and 80 °C using highly H₂S enriched effluents (from 0.5 to 1 vol.%). The amphiphilic properties of SiC foam provide an ideal support for the anchoring and growth of a NiS₂ active phase. The NiS₂/SiC composite was employed for the desulfurization of highly H₂S-rich effluents under discontinuous mode with almost complete H₂S conversion (nearly 100% for 0.5 and 1 vol.% of H₂S) and sulfur selectivity (from 99.6 to 96.0% at 40 and 80 °C, respectively), together with an unprecedented sulfur-storage capacity. Solid sulfur was produced in large aggregates at the outer catalyst surface and relatively high H₂S conversion was maintained until sulfur deposits reached 140 wt.% of the starting catalyst weight. Notably, the spent NiS₂/SiC^foam catalyst fully recovered its pristine performance (H₂S conversion, selectivity and sulfur-storage capacity) upon regeneration at 320 °C under He, and thus, it is destined to become a benchmark desulfurization system for operating in discontinuous mode.

Heterogeneously Catalyzed Hydrothermal Processing of C5-C6 Sugars

Biomass has been long exploited as an anthropogenic energy source; however, the 21st century challenges of energy security and climate change are driving resurgence in its utilization both as a renewable alternative to fossil fuels and as a sustainable carbon feedstock for chemicals production. Deconstruction of cellulose and hemicellulose carbohydrate polymers into their constituent C₅ and C₆ sugars, and subsequent heterogeneously catalyzed transformations, offer the promise of unlocking diverse oxygenates such as furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, and gluconic acid as biorefinery platform chemicals. Here, we review recent advances in the design and development of catalysts and processes for C₅-C₆ sugar reforming into chemical intermediates and products, and highlight the challenges of aqueous phase operation and catalyst evaluation, in addition to process considerations such as solvent and reactor selection.

Silicon carbide foam as a porous support platform for catalytic applications

This review provides an overview of the use of foam-structured SiC as a porous support platform in some typical catalytic processes both for gas-phase and liquid-phase reactions, such as H₂S selective oxidation, Friedel–Crafts benzoylation and Fischer–Tropsch synthesis.