Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Nanostructured Catalysts and Reaction Engineering Laboratory

Jungho Jae

1 Ph.D. student, 2 M.S. students

The focus of our research lies in solving the current energy and environmental problems using the skills of heterogeneous catalysis and reaction engineering. Specifically, we are developing new generations of catalysts and catalytic processes that allows us to efficiently convert renewable carbon sources such as biomass, CO2, organic waste to clean fuels, high-value chemicals, and hydrogen. To achieve this goal, we conduct the full spectrum of catalysis research including nanostructure design/characterization, kinetics and mechanism analysis, continuous process development, supercritical fluid-meditated catalytic technology.

- Catalytic depolymerization of biomass to fuel precursor (e.g., supercritical liquefaction, catalytic fast pyrolysis)
- Catalytic upgrading of biomass-derived oxygenates to transportation fuels and value-added chemicals (e.g, hydrodeoxygenation, transfer hydrogenation, cycloaddition)
- Development of multifunctional catalysts for cascade reactions
- Hydrogen production by aqueous phase reforming