Webinars
ChemCatBio hosts free webinars throughout the year. Advanced registration is required to receive a URL to view the webinars online. Find information about future and previous webinars below.
Upcoming Webinars
Addressing Unique Catalyst Deactivation Challenges for Converting Biomass-Derived Feedstocks
February 19, 2020 | 12–12:45 p.m. MST
Catalyst lifetime has a significant impact on the economics of biomass conversion processes. It is often challenging to develop robust and stable catalysts for bioenergy applications due to the unique qualities of biomass (e.g., high oxygen content, high moisture content, and highly reactive functional groups). Thus, catalyst deactivation requires significant attention in biomass conversion research and development (R&D), especially given that most of our current knowledge on this topic stems primarily from petroleum-based conversion technologies. Catalysis research and development within ChemCatBio is targeted at addressing this knowledge gap and improving catalyst lifetime for biomass conversion. Join Huamin Wang of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as he presents (1) an overview of our current knowledge about the unique properties of biomass-derived intermediates that could cause catalyst deactivation issues and possible mitigation approaches, and (2) two to three examples of previous and current ChemCatBio work showing how we are addressing it in our R&D efforts. Get more information and register now.
Electrochemical CO2 Utilization: The Effect of Membrane-Electrode-Assembly Architecture
Presented by Jack Ferrell, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Coming Q3 2020
Past Webinars
Single-Step Catalytic Conversion of Ethanol to n-Butene-Rich Olefins and 1,3-Butadiene Chemical Coproduct
July 31, 2019
In this webinar, Robert Dagle and Vanessa Dagle from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Zhenglong Li from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, discussed collaborative efforts to develop a flexible catalytic process for the single-step conversion of ethanol to either n-butene-rich olefins, as fuel precursors, or to 1,3-butadiene as a chemical product precursor over mixed oxide or zeolite-based catalysts. View the recording and download the presentation slides.
Technology Options for Catalytically Upgrading Biochemically Derived 2,3-Butanediol from Lignocellulosic Biomass Feedstocks to Advanced Biofuels and Chemical Coproducts
April 24, 2019
In this webinar, Derek Vardon from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Vanessa Dagle from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Zhenglong Li from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, presented recent progress in collaborative efforts to develop economically viable 2,3-butanediol (BDO) catalytic upgrading technology options in a robust manner using commercially relevant process streams. Recent advances in the fermentative production of BDO from mixed sugars generated via pretreatment and enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass has positioned BDO as an attractive biochemically derived intermediate for advanced biofuels and chemicals production. View the recording and download the presentation slides.
Simulation and Modeling of Bioenergy Conversion from the Atomic to Process Scales
November 14, 2018
In this webinar, Peter Ciesielski and Seonah Kim from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Jim Parks from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, highlighted modeling activities in the Consortium for Computational Physics and Chemistry (CCPC), a research project in ChemCatBio focused on accelerating catalyst discovery and enabling scale-up of new catalyst innovations in bioenergy. At the atomic scale, density functional theory calculations are used to guide experimental researchers and provide fundamental knowledge on binding energies and active catalyst sites. The meso scale models capture catalyst particle effects including mass transfer, heat transfer, and coking. Finally, process scale models are employed to understand conversion in reactors of various designs to enable scale up and prediction of optimal control conditions. View the recording and download the presentation slides.
CatCost: An Estimation Tool to Aid Commercialization and R&D Decisions for Catalytic Materials
September 26, 2018
In this webinar, Kurt Van Allsburg and Frederick Baddour from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory discussed CatCost, a catalyst cost estimation tool that has been developed to aid accurate estimation of catalyst costs early in catalyst development. CatCost incorporates industry standard estimation methods into a user-friendly spreadsheet and web tool to be distributed online free-of-charge. The presentation detailed the methods used by CatCost, validation using commercially available materials, and pre-commercial estimate examples. The webinar provided a tutorial walkthrough of CatCost to present decision-making use cases in catalyst R&D and commercialization. View the recording and download the presentation slides.
Accelerating the Catalyst Development Cycle: Integrating Predictive Computational Modeling, Tailored Materials Synthesis, and in situ Characterization Capabilities through the ChemCatBio Consortium
June 27, 2018
In this webinar, ChemCatBio principal investigators Susan Habas, Kinga Unocic, and Theodore Krause shared a video to highlight transition metal carbides as a class of materials that has the potential to meet the advanced catalyst goals of low cost and superior performance under severe conditions. The video demonstrated how the integration of predictive computational modeling, tailored materials synthesis, and in situ characterization capabilities within the ChemCatBio Consortium is accelerating the development of these complex but promising catalysts. View the recording.
Linking Catalyst and Process Development with Techno-Economic Analysis in the Conversion of Biomass to High-Octane Gasoline
March 7, 2018
In this webinar, Dan Ruddy of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory discussed how techno-economic analysis of the conversion of biomass-derived synthesis gas into hydrocarbons can be used to direct catalyst development research to target specific performance advancements, and similarly, how performance improvements affect the resulting economic viability of the process. View the recording and download the presentation slides.
Overview of the Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium: Enabling Production of Biofuels and Bioproducts through Catalysis
December 6, 2017
In this webinar, Josh Schaidle of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory provided an overview of the ChemCatBio consortium, highlighted recent advancements in production of biofuels and bioproducts enabled by the consortium, and discussed opportunities for engaging with ChemCatBio. View the recording and download the presentation slides.