Photocatalytic Chemical Transformation in Dye-sensitized Photoelectrochemical Cells for Production of Aviation Fuels
Abstract
The Air Force consumes approximately 2 billion gallons of aviation fuel annually, which is the largest consumer of fuel in the Department of Defense. To explore alternative aviation fuels, this proposed research will address a photocatalytic chemical transformation of waste lignin, the largest non-carbohydrate component in biomass, producing low-molecular-weight intermediates with suitable carbon numbers that can be processed for aviation fuels. With this motivation, aminoxyl-mediated photoelectrocatalysis using a dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cell (DSPEC), will provide an advanced strategy to perform selective depolymerization of lignin. The scientific objectives of this proposal are to investigate fundamental photoelectrochemical cleavage reactions of C–C-C–O bonds in lignin and study their mechanistic pathways. The significance of this work will elucidate photo- and electro-induced chemical transformations of lignin in the DSPEC incorporating aminoxyl mediators. Specifically, the target of this work is to study electron transfers at heterogeneous photoelectrodes and oxidative clevage reactions of homogeneous aminoxyl mediators in a DSPEC. The central hypothesis of this proposal is that heterogeneous visible-light-driven catalysis incorporating homogeneous aminoxyl mediators can bypass high-energy single electron-transfer and employ mild conditions, allowing control of chemical activation of aminoxyl-catalyzed aliphatic and-or benzylic alcohol oxidation, followed by selective cleavage of C–C-C–O bonds in aryl ether linkages in lignin.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 16, 2024
- Source ID
- FA23862314014
Entities
People
- Tae-hyuk Kwon
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
- United States Air Force