Yuang Piao

Research: Bifunctional catalysts for DME and methanol synthesis

DME can be used as an excellent alternative to diesel fuel due to its high cetane number (55–60) and a low emission of CO, NOx in the exhaust gases from a diesel engine as it has no C-C bond structures. Two main chemical transformation routes were reported in the literatures for the conversion of syngas into fuels, Fischer-Tropsch route and syngas to methanol which gives dimethyl ether (DME) by dehydration. The direct DME synthesis, which simultaneously triggers methanol synthesis and in-situ dehydration, is integrated in bifunctional catalysts in a single reactor. And how the two catalytic functions can work in a complete “synergistic effect” through being finely dispersed by maintaining a close proximity but not reacting each other is still a big challenge.

[1] N. Tsubaki et al., Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 217, 494–522 (2017)

[2] A. Corma et al., Advanced Materials, 2002927 (2020)

CV

2021-present

PhD student in Materials Chemistry and Catalysis group, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University

Supervisors: Prof. Petra de Jongh

2020-2021

Research intern in the Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP), Chinese Academy of Science

Supervisors: Dr. Yuefeng Liu

2018-2020

Master of Science in Engineering (joint educational project) in Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP), Chinese Academy of Science

Supervisors: Dr. Yuefeng Liu, Prof. Wei Liu

2017-2020

Master of Science in Engineering in Materials Science and Engineering Department, Hebei University of Technology

Supervisor: Dr. Fei Wang

2011-2015

Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Materials Science and Engineering Department, Hebei University of Technology