CatLab Lecture
Friday, 12. January 2024 // 10.30 - 12.00
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Fritz Haber Institute
Albert-Einstein-Straße 15,
12489 Berlin
BESSY II, Großer Hörsaal
A series of independent lectures with renowned experts in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis, thin film technology, physical chemistry, process engineering and material design. Jointly organised by Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and the Fritz Haber Institute as part of CatLab, these lectures offer a unique opportunity to explore the fundamentals and latest developments in catalysis research.
Winter semester 2023/24 – every friday from 10:30 - 12:00
Heterogeneous catalysis as enabler of circular economy
Regina Palkovits, RWTH Aachen, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion Mülheim an der Ruhr
The guidelines of sustainable development require a transformation of today’s linear chemical industry with the aim of closed carbon cycles. In this process, renewable energy can be used as an energy/heating source and to provide chemical redox equivalents, e.g. in the form of hydrogen or electrons. Catalysts are essential to enable selective chemo-, bio-, or even electrocatalytic reactions under the dynamic supply of resources. As carbon sources, fossil raw materials must be used as carbon efficiently as possible in a transition phase and consistently replaced by renewable carbon sources such as CO2 and biomass, as well as recycling streams, e.g. in the form of plastics. Catalysts enable raw materials that are highly diverse in functionality and reactivity to be selectively converted and efficient value chains to be developed aiming to realize overall energy-efficient carbon cycles. In particular, chemical energy storage molecules that allow transport and storage of renewable energy will gain importance and strengthen the coupling of the chemical and energy sectors.
Herein, novel concepts in catalyst design will be discussed focusing on solid molecular catalysts for CO2 activation, novel biomass transformations and the contribution of catalysis in life cycle assessment as well as the future role of a potentially electrified (bio)refinery.
D. Yan, C. Mebrahtu, S. Wang, R. Palkovits, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, 62, e202214333: Innovative Electrochemical Strategies for Hydrogen Production: From electricity input to electricity output.
doi.org/10.1002/anie.202214333
A. Iemhoff, M. Vennewald, R. Palkovits, ChemCatChem. 2022 62, e202212015: Single-atom catalysts on covalenttriazine frameworks: at the crossroad between homogenous and heterogeneous catalysis.
doi.org/10.1002/anie.202212015
A. L. Merchan, T. Fischöder, J. Hee, M. S. Lehnertz, O. Osterthun, S. Pielsticker, J. Schleier, T. Tiso, L. M. Blank, J. Klankermayer, R. Kneer, P. Quicker, G. Walther, R. Palkovits, Green Chem. 2022, 24, 9428-9449: Chemical recycling of bioplastics: technical opportunities to preserve chemical functionality as path towards a circular economy.
doi.org/10.1039/D2GC02244C
M. S. Lehnertz, J. B. Mensah, R. Palkovits*, Green Chem. 2022, 24, 3957-3963: Chemical recycling of polyhydroxybutyrate and polylactic acid over ruthenium supported on ceria.
doi.org/10.1039/D2GC00216G
Contact for content-related questions:
Annette Trunschke (FHI)