(7fi) Advanced Functional Porous Materials As Heterogeneous Catalysts

Advanced Functional Porous Materials as Heterogeneous Catalysts

Research Interest:

My research focuses on the interface of chemistry, chemical engineering and materials science and I am specifically interested in the areas of renewable energy, design of hetrogenous catalysts and advanced functional porous materials. In particular, my research focuses on the development of advanced functional porous materials and their use as supports for heterogeneous catalysts. Here, I presented a novel technology to convert biomass to high surface area carbon with tunable porosity, while in the past, I developed a method of fabricating zeolites and hydrotalcite with high selectivity to branched hydrocarbons with lower pour points and higher octane numbers. Moreover, I conducted research on complex fluid and flow behavior, the work which will have an impact on how to design the fluid for a better heat transfer performance. In this research, I used Computational Fluid Dynamics to have a better understanding of how the nanoparticles influence the thermal physical properties of nanofluids.

A) Carbon Based Catalyst from Biomass Conversion

During my postdoc, I presented a novel technology for conversion of biomass to functionalized carbon at ultra-fast time scales. The use of agricultural waste as carbon precursors is renewable and relatively less expensive. Highly porous carbon has many applications, including water treatment, separation, purification, catalysis, energy storage, batteries, fuel cells, electrodes for electric double layer capacitors, and others. Although there has been a large amount of research and interest in the conversion of biomass to carbons for various applications, the challenges remain, both in terms of processing time scale and also with the ability to tune the resulting carbon’s properties. In addition, the functionalization schemes for using the resulting carbons toward catalyst schemes require additional development. I utilized a novel technology, plasma based technique to convert biomass to high surface area carbons with tunable porosity at ultrafast time scales of less than 1 minute. This high surface area carbons with tunable porosity, has a potential to be used as support for catalytic applications, which I demonstrated using them as supports for Pt catalysts. Specifically, I dispersed Pt nanoparticles on carbon supports using hydrogen plasma treatment and was able to obtain a uniform dispersion of Pt with narrow size distribution (less than 5 nm). The small size of Pt nanoparticles and tunable carbon supports were significant challenges in conventional methods. The final products obtained from plasma will be more economically competitive than those obtained via traditional techniques and have the ability to be produced in large industrial scales. I have filed a patent application.

B) Zeolites and Hydrotalcite Catalysts

During my PhD, I synthesized zeolites and hydrotalcite catalysts and I loaded Pt nanoparticles on these support. The fundamental idea of this catalyst program was to convert the waste oil to biofuels in a single catalytic process. This project represented significant advancement in the process of conversion of lipid biomass materials to ‘drop-in’ hydrocarbon transport fuels, such as motor and aviation gasoline. The deoxygenation of the fatty acid and subsequent isomerization/hydrocracking of the resulting C₁₇–C₁₈ linear paraffins to branched, gasoline-range C₅–C₁₀ hydrocarbons with lower pour points and higher octane numbers was accomplished over a bi-functional catalyst in a single step process. Such an investigation had not been reported before. This research led to two patent applications and several journal publications.

Specific Research Directions And Future Research Objectives:

In my current research, I use plasma technique to convert biomass such as hemp and soy-hulls to functionalized carbon, which are then used as catalyst support. For this, I disperse Pt nanoparticles on the fabricated high surface area carbon with tunable porosity and was able to demonstrate a uniform dispersion of Pt with narrow size distribution. Similar process can be applied to convert other types of biomass to functionalized carbons. In the future, I would like to apply plasma technique for dispersion of other noble metal on carbon supports and expand this approach to prepare bi-functional catalyst or bimetallic catalyst using plasma technique. These novel catalysts will be evaluate for their performance under hydrogenation reaction. Currently, I am using Pt/C in hydrogenation of xylose to xylitol.

My future research will also focus on converting the waste oil to biofuels in a single catalytic process. According to my results obtained for the zeolites, they are the nominate catalyst for this purpose because of the high percentage of decarboxylation and high selectivity they have for branched and aromatic compounds. I investigated the optimum reaction conditions in my previous research and I have high chance of collaborating with the industrial companies. For future research other non-noble metals, such as Cu, Al and Ni, which are much cheaper than Pt, could be used. Moreover, catalytic decarboxylation and conversion of oleic acid to parrafins and hydrocarbons over metal organic frameworks could be investigated. This research can be combined with activated carbon research, as well.

Resource Funding:

DOE(BES)/CSGB) Division- DOE(EERE)-NSF/ (CBET)/Particulate and Multiphase Processes/Computational and Data-Enabled Science and Engineering (CDS&E), Catalysis/Energy for Sustainability

Teaching Interests:

I have worked in a variety of academic institutions in a wide range of teaching areas. Teaching has always been a rewarding experience for me, mainly because of the great satisfaction that comes with sharing my knowledge with others. During my time at the University of Louisville, I received Teaching Assistant positions for 5 years. These included Introduction to Chemical Engineering, Material Science, Unit Operation Laboratory and Safety Health & Environment. At Kerman University, I taught Process Calculation, Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Principles of Chemical Engineering and Chemical Reaction Engineering. Thus, I am confident that I could teach broad range of topics in Chemical Engineering. This is because of the fact that my research includes the core areas of Chemical Engineering. My teaching interest includes kinetics and reaction engineering, transport phenomena and fluid mechanics courses for undergraduate and graduate students, which naturally fit my research and teaching experience. Because of the fact that my research includes kinetics and reaction engineering, heat and mass transfer and fluid mechanics concepts, so I could give students team working projects and provide them the opportunity to improve their knowledge about the fundamental principles and technical details of basics of Chemical Engineering. Moreover, I always enjoy teaching hands-on laboratory classes such as Unit Operation laboratory or chemistry laboratory.

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS, PATENTS AND CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Patents:

M. Ahmadi, P. Ratnasamy, M.A. Carreon, “Single-step process for production of branched, cyclic, aromatic, and cracked hydrocarbons from fatty acids,” United States Patent Application No. 14/489,852, filed in September 2014

M. Ahmadi, P. Ratnasamy, M.A. Carreon, “Single-step decarboxylation and further conversion of fatty acids over bifunctional catalysts,” United States Patent Application No. 61/948,139, filed in March 2014

Journal Publications:

M. Ahmadi, J. Jasinski, J. Satyavolu, M. Sunkara, “A novel carbonization process to produce functionalized carbon from biomass,” Under Review

M. Ahmadi, G. Willing, “Heat transfer enhancement in water-based CuO nanofluids,” International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Under Review

M. Ahmadi, A.Nambo, J.B. Jasinski, P. Ratnasamy, M.A. Carreon, “Decarboxylation of oleic acid over Pt catalysts supported on small-pore zeolites and hydrotalcite,” Journal of Catalysis Science & Technology, 2015,5, 380-388

M. Ahmadi, E.E. Macias, J.B. Jasinski, P. Ratnasamy, M.A. Carreon “Decarboxylation and further transformation of oleic acid over functional Pt/SAPO-11 catalyst and Pt/chloride Al₂O₃catalysts,” Journal of Molecular Catalysis A, 2014, 386,14–19

M. Ahmadi, M.R. Ghasemi, H. Hashemipour, “Study of different parameters in TiO₂ nanoparticles formation,” Journal of Material Science and Engineering, 2011, 5, 87-93

Conference Publications:

M.Ahmadi, J. Jasinski, J. Satyavolu, M. Sunkara, "Biomass conversion to functionalized carbon," 2017 Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency (RE3) Workshop, May 2017, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY

M. Ahmadi, G. Willing, "Computational fluid dynamics modeling of momentum and heat transfer in nanofluids,” AIChE Annual Meeting, Nov 2016, San Francisco, CA

M. Ahmadi, G. Willing, “Measurement of heat transfer mechanisms in water-based nanofluids,” AIChE Annual Meeting, Nov 2015, Salt Lake City, UT

M. Ahmadi, E.E. Macias, J.B. Jasinski, P. Ratnasamy, M.A. Carreon, “Oleic acid decarboxylation and further transformation over pt/sapo-11 catalysts and pt/al₂o₃ catalysts,” AIChE Annual Meeting, Nov 2014, Atlanta, GA

M. Ahmadi, A. Nambo, J.B. Jasinski, P. Ratnasamy, M.A. Carreon, “Decarboxylation and further isomerization of oleic acid over Pt-supported on small pore zeolites and hydrotalcite catalysts,” AIChE Annual Meeting, Nov 2014, Atlanta, GA

M. Ahmadi, J. Jasinski, M. Carreon, “Decarboxylation of oleic acid over solid catalysts,” North American Catalysis Society Meeting, June 2013, Louisville, KY

M. Ahmadi, M.R. Ghasemi, H. Hashemipour, “Investigating of operating conditions effects on TiO₂ nanoparticles properties,” International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, February 2010, India