Wayne State University

K Y Simon Ng

Steven O Salley

Shuli Yan

Manhoe Kim

Da Deng

Jian Zhu

Rhet C De Guzman

Huali Wang

Elvan Sari

Steve O Salley

Iron nanoparticles that are useful for constructing electrodes for lithium ion batteries and a method of making said particles is disclosed herein. The nanoparticles may include magnetite. The electrode may be constructed by centrifuging the nanoparticles to a current collector, such as a disc of copper, without the use of an extrinsic binder. The solvothermal method of making nanoparticles decreases the time of the procedure from about 24 hours to about 75 minutes. The method of making electrode decreases the complexity and number of steps compared to the conventional procedure to prepare an electrode, and eliminates the use of additives (binder and current enhancer) and toxic NMP solvents in the electrode preparation process.

Centrifugation-assisted preparation of additive-free carbon-decorated magnetite electrodes

A composite anode for a lithium-ion battery is manufactured from silicon nanoparticles having diameters mostly under 10 nm; providing an oxide layer on the silicon nanoparticles; dispersing the silicon nanoparticles in a polar liquid; providing a graphene oxide suspension; mixing the polar liquid containing the dispersed silicone nanoparticles with the graphene oxide suspension to obtain a composite mixture; probe-sonicating the mixture for a predetermined time; filtering the composite mixture to obtain a solid composite; drying the composite; and reducing the composite to obtain graphene and silicon.

Composite anode for lithium ion batteries

Materials and methods for converting brown grease to useful diesel fuel are described. One material is a palladium catalyst on a silicon/carbon support. A method comprises flowing fresh hydrogen over a reaction of diluted brown grease on a palladium/carbon catalyst.

Green diesel production from hydrothermal catalytic decarboxylation on a supported Pd&#x2014;Co catalyst

A catalyst comprises a carbide or nitride of a metal and a promoter element. The metal is selected from the group consisting of Mo, W, Co, Fe, Rh or Mn, and the promoter element is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Al, Si, S or P, provided that the metal and the promoter element are different. The catalyst also comprises a mesoporous support having a surface area of at least about 170 mg, wherein the carbide or nitride of the metal and the promoter element is supported by the mesoporous support, and is in a non-sulfided form and in an amorphous form.

Bimetal catalysts

Mixed metal oxide catalysts (ZnO, CeO, La2O3, NiO, Al203, Si02, TiO2, Nd2O3, Yb2O3, or any combination of these) supported on zirconia (ZrO2) or hydrous zirconia are provided. These mixed metal oxide catalysts can be prepared via coprecipitation, impregnation, or sol-gel methods from metal salt precursors with/without a Zirconium salt precursor. Metal oxides/ZrO2 catalyzes both esterification and transesterification of oil containing free fatty acids in one batch or in single stage. In particular, these mixed metal oxides supported or added on zirconium oxide exhibit good activity and selectivity for esterification and transesterification. The low acid strength of this catalyst can avoid undesirable side reaction such as alcohol dehydration or cracking of fatty acids. Metal oxides/ZrO2 catalysts are not sensitive to any water generated from esterification. Thus, esterification does not require a water free condition or the presence of excess methanol to occur when using the mixed metal oxide catalyst. The FAME yield obtained with metal oxides/ZrO2 is higher than that obtained with homogeneous sulfuric acid catalyst. Metal oxides/ZrO2 catalasts can be prepared as strong pellets and in various shapes for use directly in a flow reactor. Furthermore, the pellet has a strong resistance toward dissolution to aqueous or oil phases.

Metaloxide&#x2014;ZrO2 catalysts for the esterification and transesterification of free fatty acids and triglycerides to obtain bio-diesel

A heterogeneous catalyst system, a method of preparing the catalyst system and a method of forming a biodiesel product via transesterification reactions using the catalyst system is disclosed. The catalyst system according to one aspect of the present disclosure represents a class of supported mixed metal oxides that include at least calcium oxide and another metal oxide deposited on a lanthanum oxide or cerium oxide support. Preferably, the catalysts include CaO&#x2014;CeOZLaOor CaO&#x2014;LaO/CeO. Optionally, the catalyst may further include additional metal oxides, such as CaO&#x2014;LaO&#x2014;GdOxZLaO.

Supported catalyst systems and method of making biodiesel products using such catalysts

A method of forming a product from an oil feedstock, such as a biodiesel product, and a heterogeneous catalyst system used to form said product is disclosed. This catalyst system, which has a high tolerance for the presence of water and free fatty acids (FFA) in the oil feedstock, may simultaneously catalyze both the esterification of FAA and the transesterification of triglycerides present in the oil feedstock. The catalyst system is comprised of a mixture of zinc oxide and a second metal oxide. The zinc oxide includes a mixture of amorphous zinc oxide and zinc oxide nanocrystals, the zinc nanocrystals having a mean grain size between about 20 and 80 nanometers with at least one of the nanocrystals including a mesopore having a diameter of about 5 to 15 nanometers. Preferably, the second metal oxide is a lanthanum oxide, the lanthanum oxide being selected as one from the group of LaCO, LaOOH, and combinations or mixtures thereof.

ZnO nanoparticle catalysts for use in transesterification and esterification reactions and method of making

A method of forming a biodiesel product and a heterogeneous catalyst system used to form said product that has a high tolerance for the presence of water and free fatty acids (FFA) in the oil feedstock is disclosed. This catalyst system may simultaneously catalyze both the esterification of FAA and the transesterification of triglycerides present in the oil feedstock. The catalyst system is comprised of a mixture of zinc oxide and a second metal oxide. The zinc oxide includes a mixture of amorphous zinc oxide and zinc oxide nanocrystals, the zinc nanocrystals having a mean grain size between about 20 and 80 nanometers with at least one of the nanocrystals including a mesopore having a diameter of about 5 to 15 nanometers. Preferably, the second metal oxide is a lanthanum oxide, the lanthanum oxide being selected as one from the group of LaCO, LaOOH, and combinations or mixtures thereof.

ZnO nanoparticle catalysts for use in biodiesel production and method of making

A method of forming a biodiesel product and a heterogeneous catalyst system used to form said product that has a high tolerance for the presence of water and free fatty acids (FFA) in the oil feedstock is disclosed. This catalyst system may simultaneously catalyze both the esterification of FAA and the transesterification of triglycerides present in the oil feedstock. The catalyst system according to one aspect of the present disclosure represents a class of zinc and lanthanum oxide heterogeneous catalysts that include different ratios of zinc oxide to lanthanum oxides (Zn:La ratio) ranging from about 10:0 to 0:10. The Zn:La ratio in the catalyst is believed to have an effect on the number and reactivity of Lewis acid and base sites, as well as the transesterification of glycerides, the esterification of fatty acids, and the hydrolysis of glycerides and biodiesel.

Methods and catalysts for making biodiesel from the transesterification and esterification of unrefined oils

In one aspect, a process for producing a biofuel comprises reacting a feed material that comprises a glyceride with an alcohol in the presence of a catalytic composition such that at least some of the glyceride in the feed material is converted into a biofuel mixture that comprises glycerol and the corresponding alcoholic ester of the glyceride. The catalytic composition comprises a heterogeneous catalyst and a homogeneous catalyst. The heterogeneous catalyst and the homogeneous catalyst have a synergistic effect in catalyzing the reaction of the glyceride in the feed material with the alcohol.

Growing community of inventors

West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

K Y Simon Ng