Catalytic and electrocatalytic transformations to obtain energy and higher added value products from biofuel and oil derivatives

The central objective of this research project is to study transformation processes of oil derivatives and renewable natural products into higher added value substances, and to investigate the development of new alternative energy generation sources, focusing on fuel cells and biocells.
Regarding sustainability, the use of renewable and inedible natural products from cultivable plants, as well as their industrial wastes, is a good option. Due to their specific properties, some natural products can be directly used with no chemical transformation. Some feedstock from biomass, however, are rich in complex molecules (fatty acids, saccharides, terpenes, phenolic compounds derived from lignin) which can be valued after selective catalytic transformations that satisfy the atomic economy criteria. Catalytic conversions are also useful in the transformation of oil derivatives into high added value products useful in chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, perfume, and flavor industry.
One of our goals is to study this kind of catalytic transformations. Biomass is also a renewable feedstock for biofuel production, which is useful for obtaining energy from fuel cells. Fuel cells are the most efficient way to convert chemical energy from fuel molecules into electrical energy. Specifically, we intend to study the mechanism of the electrooxidation reactions of alcohols used as fuel in fuel cells.
Together with the study of reaction mechanisms, we will also investigate catalytic materials to be used in fuel cells directly working with a liquid material – the aim is to obtain, for the studied conversions, more efficient electrocatalysts for both energy obtainment and creation of higher added value products. The evaluation of the controlled release of fuels in an oil/water interface will be studied with electrochemical microscopy to analyze the processes occurring in the system interface and to understand how the migration of molecules takes place from one environment to another.

Coordinator: Profa. Dra. Janaina de Souza Garcia
E-mail: janaina.garcia@ufabc.edu.br

Coordinator’s Curriculum Lattes (research projects, publications and academic info)

Coordinator’s research grants, scholarships and main publications (FAPESP)

Catalytic and electrocatalytic transformations to obtain energy and higher added value products from biofuel and oil derivatives

The central objective of this research project is to study transformation processes of oil derivatives and renewable natural products into higher added value substances, and to investigate the development of new alternative energy generation sources, focusing on fuel cells and biocells.
Regarding sustainability, the use of renewable and inedible natural products from cultivable plants, as well as their industrial wastes, is a good option. Due to their specific properties, some natural products can be directly used with no chemical transformation. Some feedstock from biomass, however, are rich in complex molecules (fatty acids, saccharides, terpenes, phenolic compounds derived from lignin) which can be valued after selective catalytic transformations that satisfy the atomic economy criteria. Catalytic conversions are also useful in the transformation of oil derivatives into high added value products useful in chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, perfume, and flavor industry.
One of our goals is to study this kind of catalytic transformations. Biomass is also a renewable feedstock for biofuel production, which is useful for obtaining energy from fuel cells. Fuel cells are the most efficient way to convert chemical energy from fuel molecules into electrical energy. Specifically, we intend to study the mechanism of the electrooxidation reactions of alcohols used as fuel in fuel cells.
Together with the study of reaction mechanisms, we will also investigate catalytic materials to be used in fuel cells directly working with a liquid material – the aim is to obtain, for the studied conversions, more efficient electrocatalysts for both energy obtainment and creation of higher added value products. The evaluation of the controlled release of fuels in an oil/water interface will be studied with electrochemical microscopy to analyze the processes occurring in the system interface and to understand how the migration of molecules takes place from one environment to another.

Coordinator: Profa. Dra. Janaina de Souza Garcia
E-mail: janaina.garcia@ufabc.edu.br

Coordinator’s Curriculum Lattes (research projects, publications and academic info)

Coordinator’s research grants, scholarships and main publications (FAPESP)