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Full-Text Articles in Chemical Engineering

Biodiesel Transesterification Of Spent Coffee Grounds Using Dbu As A Catalyst: Using Dbu To Make Biodiesel From Coffee Grounds, Christopher Stepherson, Pericles Karras, Amy Ha, Phuc Tan Nguyen, Abigail Pati, Jacob Hejazi, Soheil Hussain, Elizabeth De Young, Shuaicheng Fu Jan 2024

Biodiesel Transesterification Of Spent Coffee Grounds Using Dbu As A Catalyst: Using Dbu To Make Biodiesel From Coffee Grounds, Christopher Stepherson, Pericles Karras, Amy Ha, Phuc Tan Nguyen, Abigail Pati, Jacob Hejazi, Soheil Hussain, Elizabeth De Young, Shuaicheng Fu

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

Coffee is one of the most universally consumed beverages. The world produces 60 million tons of spent coffee grounds (SCGs) as waste per year. Biodiesel made from SCGs is an eco-friendly alternative fuel but proves difficult to produce. 1,8-Diazabicyclo[ 5.4.0]undec-7- ene (DBU) was used as both a solvent and a catalyst with methanol to determine the efficiency of biodiesel production from SCGs. The process was completed by extracting coffee oil from acid-washed spent coffee grounds (AWSCGs) using hexane. The two extraction methods that were explored were Soxhlet and agitation. DBU is an interesting choice as a solvent and a catalyst …


Synthesis And Characterization Of Hybrid Catalysts For Fischer-Tropsch Jet Fuel Production, Jack M. Steinagel Dec 2022

Synthesis And Characterization Of Hybrid Catalysts For Fischer-Tropsch Jet Fuel Production, Jack M. Steinagel

Honors College Theses

Climate change is a major issue that our world is facing today. Finding renewable options for current infrastructure is paramount to solving this issue. Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of syngas from gasified biomass can produce renewable fuels that can be used in current conventional combustion engines. In order to make this process more industrially viable, a higher selectivity towards the desired range of liquid hydrocarbon products must be achieved. A novel way to do this is to introduce a catalyst to the Fischer-Tropsch reaction. The catalyst’s physical and chemical properties can promote chain growth of specific hydrocarbons. For the purpose of this …


Cold Plasma Enhanced Active Sites On Supported Nip Nanoparticles For The Oxygen Evolution Reaction, Michael Ricci Jan 2021

Cold Plasma Enhanced Active Sites On Supported Nip Nanoparticles For The Oxygen Evolution Reaction, Michael Ricci

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Identifying materials to efficiently facilitate the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is key to advancing water electrolysis, an essential technology in the pathway towards a sustainable energy future. Here, we explore cold-plasma treatment as a facile method to enhance the activity of NiP nanoparticles supported on activated carbon. NiP nanoparticles were synthesized on an activated carbon support using a solid-state method and were then treated with argon, oxygen, and hydrogen plasmas for extended times. In all cases, plasma treatment reduced the number of active sites on the support. OER activity was evaluated by testing the materials in alkaline conditions. The activities …