Producing practical uses for biodiesel byproducts through the conversion of glycerol [abstract]

Abstract only availableWith biofuels such as biodiesel and ethanol becoming increasingly popular alternatives to fossil fuels in our society, the question becomes one of economics. The production technologies are quickly becoming available, but how can biofuels be efficiently and cleanly produced with limited waste? This is a question this research aims to answer; by finding methods of converting glycerol, the waste byproduct of biodiesel production, into chemicals that benefit society and no longer make biodiesel a cost prohibitive option. Glycerol is a simple 3-carbon chain molecule bearing a hydroxyl group on each carbon atom. The reaction to produce biodiesel yields a minimum of 10% glycerol by mass, which has flooded the world market and will continue to due so in the future in both Europe and the United States. Through various dehydration, hydrogenation, and oxidation reaction mechanisms, this research is working on ways to turn this surplus of waste product into valuable chemicals such as propylene glycol, acrylic acid, and other platform chemicals to be used by many different industries. The research focuses on catalytic processes with high yields and selectivities towards high value products and low selectivities towards toxic byproducts such as ethylene glycol. From a chemical engineering perspective, operating conditions are another key aspect of finding an industrial viable process. We focus on operating conditions below 300°C and relatively low pressures Turning a waste byproduct into a valuable product means a benefit to consumers on both ends; biodiesel is made more affordable, and products such as non-toxic antifreeze and health and cosmetic products become more affordable and available.College of Engineering Undergraduate Research Optio

Conversion of waste corn cobs to activated carbons for natural gas (methane) adsorption

Abstract only availableAdsorbed Natural Gas (ANG) is an alternative energy source technology that uses micropores in adsorbent materials to store natural gas. Activated carbons, which are useful adsorbents with a highly porous form of carbon are promising adsorbent materials that can be used to store methane. In this study, dried crushed corn cobs were used to produce activated carbons, using a chemical activation method. A set of experiments was performed under various conditions to determine the optimum conditions for preparing the activated carbons. The activation process varies depending on the concentration of the activating agent (phosphoric acid), the impregnation temperature, the carbonization temperature, and the heating rate. The resultant activated carbon is further immobilized into monolithic form, to increase the density. The micro porosity of the activated carbons produced from corn cobs can have a methane uptake capacity of 150v/v or greater, and a BET surface area of 800m2/g-1600m2/g.NSF Program Alliance for Collaborative Research in Alternative Fuel Technology and Louis Stokes Missouri Alliance for Minority Participatio

Conversion of waste corncob to activated carbon for use of methane storage

Abstract only availableMissouri being one of the leading states in corn production has a large quantity of corn cobs. Corn cob can be used to produce activated carbon because its organic origin is similar to coconut and peach pits which have been previously used to make activated carbons. In this project, researchers at the University of Missouri Columbia are using adsorbents produced from corn cobs to store natural gas. Results have shown that a BET surface area of 800m2/g-1600m2/g can be obtained. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images confirms that micro porous nature of the carbon. The main objective of this research is to develop flat low pressure high capacity natural gas tank holding no greater than 500psi of methane, allowing for more trunk space in cars. It is anticipated that the new Absorbed Natural Gas (ANG) will be the competitor with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) which is currently stored in heavy tanks at high pressures of about 3600psi. Activated carbons obtained from the corn cob that has been through chemical activation process are used to make monoliths, in order to achieve the maximum density. The powdered form of the activated carbon is combined with a binding agent and pressed using a hydraulic press and die. By this process corn cobs can be converted into monolithic carbon and having methane uptake of 150v/v or more.NSF Program Alliance for Collaborative Research in Alternative Fuel Technology and Louis Stokes Missouri Alliance for Minority Participatio

Physical Properties of Soy-Phosphate Polyol-Based Rigid Polyurethane Foams

Water-blown rigid polyurethane (PU) foams were made from 0–50% soy-phosphate polyol (SPP) and 2–4% water as the blowing agent. The mechanical and thermal properties of these SPP-based PU foams (SPP PU foams) were investigated. SPP PU foams with higher water content had greater volume, lower density, and compressive strength. SPP PU foams with 3% water content and 20% SPP had the lowest thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity of SPP PU foams decreased and then increased with increasing SPP percentage, resulting from the combined effects of thermal properties of the gas and solid polymer phases. Higher isocyanate density led to higher compressive strength. At the same isocyanate index, the compressive strength of some 20% SPP foams was close or similar to the control foams made from VORANOL 490

Hydrogen storage in engineered carbon nanospaces

doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/20/20/204026It is shown how appropriately engineered nanoporous carbons provide materials for reversible hydrogen storage, based on physisorption, with exceptional storage capacities (~80 g H2/kg carbon, ~50 g H2/liter carbon, at 50 bar and 77 K). Nanopores generate high storage capacities (a) by having high surface area to volume ratios, and (b) by hosting deep potential wells through overlapping substrate potentials from opposite pore walls, giving rise to a binding energy nearly twice the binding energy in wide pores. Experimental case studies are presented with surface areas as high as 3100 m2 g−1, in which 40% of all surface sites reside in pores of width ~0.7 nm and binding energy ~9 kJ mol−1, and 60% of sites in pores of width>1.0 nm and binding energy ~5 kJ mol−1. The findings, including the prevalence of just two distinct binding energies, are in excellent agreement with results from molecular dynamics simulations. It is also shown, from statistical mechanical models, that one can experimentally distinguish between the situation in which molecules do (mobile adsorption) and do not (localized adsorption) move parallel to the surface, how such lateral dynamics affects the hydrogen storage capacity, and how the two situations are controlled by the vibrational frequencies of adsorbed hydrogen molecules parallel and perpendicular to the surface: in the samples presented, adsorption is mobile at 293 K, and localized at 77 K. These findings make a strong case for it being possible to significantly increase hydrogen storage capacities in nanoporous carbons by suitable engineering of the nanopore space.This material is based upon work supported in part by the Department of Energy under Award No. DE-FG02-07ER46411. Use of the Advanced Photon Source was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DEAC02-06CH11357. CW and RC gratefully acknowledge the University of Missouri Bioinformatics Consortium for the use of their computational facilities. The authors would like to thank M Frederick Hawthorne, Francisco Rodr´ıguez-Reinoso, Louis Schlapbach, Andreas Z¨uttel, Bogdan Kuchta, Lucyna Firlej, Michael Roth, and Michael Gordon for valuable contributions. Finally, the authors would like to acknowledge helpful contributions by Hiden Isochema Ltd,Warrington, UK

Adsorbed natural gas (ANG) technology

This invention teaches a method of manufacturing carbon so that it adsorbs large amounts of gas at low pressures due to the high surface area and associated nanopores. For example, a full tank of this carbon can hold more than three times (3x) the amount of natural gas at 500 psig than an otherwise empty tank at the same pressure. The high surface area adsorbs gas molecules by the nature of surface attraction forces. This invention has multiple viable applications. The largest market is in motor vehicles, and this research team at the University of Missouri was the first and only to reach the Department of Energy's target of holding 150x storage capacity at 500 psig (this team actually achieved 180x). This invention also covers high pressure storage, where adsorption is slightly better than ordinary compression. Because other gases adsorb onto activated carbon, this invention likely has many other applications in gaseous storage and it is made from an abundant and inexpensive source, corn cobs. Potential Areas of Applications: * Natural gas or hydrogen powered vehicles * Upstream oil operations or natural gas collection and shipping * Miscellaneous smaller markets such as oxygen tanks and other gas tanks Patent Status: Non provisional patent application on file Inventor(s): Peter Pfeifer, Galen Suppes, Parag Shah, Jacob Burress, Jeffrey Pobst Contact Info: Dr. Wayne McDaniel, Ph.D. ; [email protected] ; 573-884-330

Isocyanate Reduction by Epoxide Substitution of Alcohols for Polyurethane Bioelastomer Synthesis

A phosphate ester-forming reaction was carried out by mixing epoxidized soybean oil with up to 1.5% o-phosphoric acid. In situ oligomerization took effect almost instantly producing a clear, homogeneous, highly viscous, and a low-acid product with a high average functionality. The resulting epoxide was used as a reactant for urethane bioelastomer synthesis and evaluated for rigid foam formulation. Results have shown that with a number of catalysts tested phosphoric acid significantly enhances a solvent-free oxirane ring cleavage and polymerization of the epoxidized soybean oil via phosphate-ester formation at room temperature. The resulting phosphoric acid-catalyzed epoxide-based bioelastomer showed an 80% decrease in extractable content and increased tensile strength at the same isocyanate loading relative to the noncatalyzed epoxide. The oligomerized epoxidized soybean oil materials exhibited ASTM hydroxyl values 40% less than the nonoligomerized starting material which translates to reduced isocyanate loadings in urethane applications

Optimization of activated carbon made from corn cobs [abstract]

Abstract only availableAs part of an initiative to research and develop higher-values uses for agricultural by-products, this project is on producing activated carbon from corn cobs. This carbon is superior to any that is commercially available because of the increased surface area around 3500m2/g, whereas the commercially available carbon is closer to 500m2/g. Various uses for this carbon are being researched, the main use being for methane storage. Methane gas can be used as a fuel in vehicles. Typically the gas is stored in high pressure tanks ranging in pressure anywhere from 3,600 to 10,000 psig. Using our activated carbon we intend to store the same amount of methane stored in a 3,600 psig tank in a 500 psig tank. This will significantly increase safety and save energy that would be used to pressurize the gas. By varying the pore size and surface area different storage capacities can be maintained. Other uses for the carbon that are being researched include, catalyst adsorption, and advanced batteries.College of Engineering Undergraduate Research Optio