Devanshu Sajwan
The large application of aromatics, more specifically benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX), as bulk chemicals in various chemical industries is well known but the major issue lies in the use of fossil resources for their production through processes like naphtha cracking. In contrast to fossil resources, biomass and plastic waste can serve as renewable sources for the sustainable development of chemical industries. In this regard, we will be focusing on the utilization of lignin-based biomass feedstock via catalytic fast pyrolysis for the selective production of BTX, next to the use of plastic waste. The project is a bilateral project between Utrecht University and BASF within the framework of the ARC CBBC program. The primary goal of our research is to establish structure-composition-performance relationships in the overall catalytic systems under study. We aim to do so by using a variety of operando spectroscopy and microscopy techniques which will assist in understanding the role of catalyst structure, composition, catalyst:feed ratio, hydrogen donor, etc. The final goal of the project is to develop a BTX selective catalytic system with a strong focus on the fundamental insights about the structure and composition of the catalyst material.