Electrochemical Flow Microreactor for the Chemical Upgrading of Alcohols

This work will be carried out in the Group of Transport Processes and Reactions at KU Leuven under the supervision of Prof. Simon Kuhn. We also form part of the larger Process Engineering for Sustainable Systems (ProcESS) group at the Department of Chemical Engineering with expertise in process intensification, use of alternative energy sources and membrane technology.
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Project
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Electrochemistry plays a vital role in green chemistry by efficiently transforming organic molecules without the need for additional reagents. In this project, we aim to develop and demonstrate the carbon-neutral production of long-chain iso-alkanes (with application as e.g. sustainable aviation fuel) starting from bio-ethanol. For this, a novel process is proposed, which enables to perform the required conversion steps at low temperatures and in aqueous conditions.
At the core of this process is the electrochemical upgrade of the alcohol, which will be implemented in a continuous small-scale reactor. Small-scale reactors provide uniform residence times, well-defined hydrodynamics, and precise temperature control. Their advantage for electrochemical reactions in particular is their large surface to volume ratio and the reduced ohmic resistance. This minimizes supporting electrolyte requirements so that less purification steps are required.
Within this PhD project, we will design and build a microfluidic electrochemical reactor to oxidize alcohols. Initial experiments will focus on process condition optimization to maximize yield and minimize side reactions, coupled with the development of a kinetic model. In a second step, the scalability of the developed reactor will be assessed and integrated in the entire process.

Profile
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Requirement: Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering or Chemistry with strong overall marks
Knowledge of flow chemistry and electrochemistry will be regarded as a plus
Adequate English (written and verbal communication) for scientific interactions required
Strong motivation is a must
Willingness to work at interdisciplinary boundaries

Offer
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The successful candidate will be offered a PhD fellowship to become part of our international team with global research links to work towards a PhD. Funding can be provided for a period of 4 years.

Interested?
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For more information please contact Prof. dr. ir. Simon Kuhn, mail: [email protected].
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