Efficient nanostructured Ni-based catalysts for electrochemical valorization of glycerol

The great interest of shifting towards biodiesel from vegetable oils or was fats is leading to a tremendous increase of glycerol production as an inevitable by-product. This waste sparked the need for glycerol valorization to justify biodiesel as alternative for diesel from petroleum. Our research efforts are to partially electro-oxidize glycerol into value-added chemicals in order to make biodiesel production more environmentally benign with added financial benefits. The primary objective of this project is the identification of an active and stable electrocatalyst that can affect the selective electrooxidation of glycerol to the value-added products without 3 carbon cleavage. To overcome a trial-and-error approach, we propose to take advantage of modern synthesis and characterization techniques for metal alloy nanoparticles and advances in rapid identifications and quantifications of products based on infrared spectroscopy and Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy model. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Elena Baranova

Student:

Partner:

Université de Poitiers

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Ottawa

Program: