Dr.Akshat Tanksale's Talk

Dec 02, 2013 - 17:00

Dec 02, 2013 - 18:00

Creativity Hall (Room 118) Chemical Engineering

Seminars

Akshat Tanksale Department of Chemical Engineering Monash University Clayton Campus Victoria 3800 Australia

Abstract: Biomass is recognised as one of the most promising resources for renewable energy and sustainable chemicals production. However their use is currently limited by the conversion of large biopolymers - cellulose hemicellulose and lignin linked via stable covalent bonds which are hard to breakdown and produce chemicals (or fuels) selectively. In the CatBioChem group (Catalysis for Bio- Chemicals Group) led by Dr Akshat Tanksale the focus of the research is to deconstruct the biomass polymers and selectively make platform chemicals for further conversion into value added chemicals and fuels. Different strategies are being adopted to achieve this including enzymatic deconstruction of raw biomass into individual biopolymers heterogeneous catalytic conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose into platform intermediate chemicals via hydrolysis and gasification routes followed conversion of these platform chemicals into fuels and value added chemicals. In this seminar overview of the group research program will be presented with details on couple of projects on cellulose conversion into sorbitol via sequential hydrolysis-hydrogenation reaction to produce sorbitol and reactive flash volatilisation of cellulose into tar free synthesis gas. /Hydrolysis-Hydrogenation of Cellulose into Sorbitol - /Sorbitol is a polyol which is widely regarded as one of the key platform chemicals which can be utilised for producing alternative fuels like hydrogen or value added chemicals. We have developed a heterogeneous catalytic pathway to convert cellulose into polyols using low cost nickel based catalysts supported on alumina and dealuminated Beta-zeolite supports. In the first step water soluble oligomers of cellulose were produced by milling acidulated microcrystalline cellulose followed by conversion of these oligomers into polyols over promoted nickel supported catalyst. Selective yields in excess of 90% is achieved in less than 1 h reaction time in a batch reactor. /Reactive Flash Volatilisation of Cellulose into Synthesis Gas - /Reactive Flash Volatilisation is a catalytic gasification process which utilises high carbon space velocity and mass flow rate with oxygen and steam as gasification agents. In this research we aim to develop active and selective nickel based catalysts for reactive flash volatilisation of cellulose to produce tunable H2:CO ratio and tar free synthesis gas in less than 50 ms reaction time. Gas yields in excess of 85% is achieved without any tar formation with Rhenium promoted Nickel catalyst at 750°C.Bio: Dr. Akshat Tanksale is a research Group Leader and member of the academic staff at the Department of Chemical Engineering Monash University Australia. His research focus is in the field of application of nano-materials in the catalytic conversion of biomass into alternative liquid fuels hydrogen and value added chemicals. Dr. Tanksale joined the Monash University in March 2011 as a Lecturer after completing a Bachelor of Engineering in the field of Chemical Engineering at the National Institute of Technology in India and his Masters in Chemical Engineering and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Queensland. Dr. Tanksale is the recipient of the inaugural Australia-India Science and Technology Award provided by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering the Dean's Award for Outstanding Research Higher Degree Thesis in 2008 from UQ the Australian Research Council Nanotechnology Network (ARCNN) Young Nanotechnology Ambassador Award and was selected for the Australia-Japan Emerging Research Leaders Exchange Program by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. Dr. Tanksale has published his research in several high impact journals such as Green Chemistry Advanced Functional Materials Journal of Catalysis and International Journal of Hydrogen Energy with total citation in excess of 235 and h-index of 8. Dr. Tanksale is currently supervising seven Ph.D students and several honours and visiting students. Research Interests: · Nanomaterials · Heterogeneous Catalysis · Biofuels and Biochemicals · Green Chemistry · Catalytic and Enzymatic Depolymerisation of Biomass · Hydrogen Production and Storage · Photocatalysis for Water Splitting and Purification