Heterogeneous Catalysis: Enabling the Breakthroughs for a Sustainable Energy Transition

Fabio H. RIBEIRO

W. Nicholas and Elizabeth H. Delgass Distinguished Professor in Chemical Engineering
Director, NSF Engineering Research Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources (CISTAR)
Co-Director, Leading Energy-Transition Advances and Pathways to Sustainability (LEAPS), Purdue Engineering Initiative on Energy Transition
Charles D. Davidson School of Chemical Engineering
Purdue University

Abstract:

Energy is the backbone of modern civilization, fueling everything from our daily conveniences to our economic engines. However, the world is at a critical juncture, facing an urgent need to transition away from fossil fuel dependence toward more sustainable solutions. In this lecture, we will explore the global energy landscape, discussing how demographic and economic shifts are shaping our energy needs and solutions. We will outline a comprehensive roadmap for decarbonization, focusing on key strategies such as enhancing energy efficiency, electrifying industrial and domestic processes, advancing carbon capture technologies, and developing sustainable fuels.

Central to these strategies is heterogeneous catalysis—a powerful enabler of the technological breakthroughs required for energy sustainability. We will discuss how catalysis is driving advancements in bio-based chemicals, green chemical processes, and carbon-neutral fuel synthesis, among other areas. As we navigate these opportunities, we will discuss the role that catalysis could play in unlocking a future where energy systems are more efficient, equitable, and sustainable.

Fabio H. RIBEIRO

R. Norris and Eleanor Shreve Professor of Chemical Engineering
Director, CISTAR (https://cistar.us/about-cistar/people)

https://engineering.purdue.edu/ChE/news/2023/ribeirocatl

DLR 203 B & FRNY 2164
Hall for Discovery and Learning Research (DLR)
207 S. Martin Jischke Dr.
West Lafayette, IN 47907

fabio@purdue.edu

(765) 494-7799 (office)

(765) 494-0805 (fax)

• Joined Purdue in 2003
• B.S. Chemical Engineering, Instituto Militar de Engenharia, Brazil, 1982
• M.S. Chemistry, Instituto Militar de Engenharia, Brazil, 1984
• M.S. Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 1986
• Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 1989
• Research Fellow: Catalytica Inc., Mountain View, California
• Postdoctoral Fellow, U.C. Berkeley (Chemistry) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley

Research Interests

Our general research interest is in the kinetics of heterogeneous catalytic processes. Heterogeneous catalysis will continue to be a key technology for the foreseeable future, especially as environmental regulations become more stringent and we look into transforming biomass into fuels. We study fundamental aspects of problems of current interest and employ a wide range of research approaches based on our previous research background in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and industrial practice. We work by combining measurements on high surface area catalyst with the ones on flat, non-porous replicas of the catalyst that are optimized for surface science analysis. Modeling the kinetics and calculating kinetic parameters by first-principle methods complements the experimental effort. One area of particular interest is the development of techniques and equipment fabrication to study catalysts under dynamic reaction conditions.

Our fundamental approach to problems has made interactions with industry quite effective. We usually involve industrial partners in our research. We have been working in the areas of, catalytic combustion of hydrocarbons, water-gas shift reaction for fuel cell applications, partial oxidation of hydrocarbons, NOx traps for automotive applications and transformation of biomass into fuels.

We are a part of the Purdue Catalysis Center, which fosters interaction among faculty and students in catalysis research groups by collaborating on research projects, sharing resources and facilities, and holding weekly joint group meetings.

Awards and Honors

• Herman Pines Award from the Catalysis Club of Chicago, 2015
• AIChE Fellow, 2014
• Purdue College of Engineering Faculty Award of Excellence on Research, 2014
• Henry J. Albert Award from the International Precious Metals Institute, 2012
• Editor, Journal of Catalysis
• Chair, AIChE Catalysis & Reaction Engineering (CRE) Division, 2010

Selected Publications (> 230 publications h-index 67)

“Dynamic Multinuclear Sites Formed by Mobilizing Single Atoms: A New Concept in “Heterogeneous” Catalysis”, Christopher Paolucci, Ishant Khurana, Atish A. Parekh, Sichi Li, Arthur J. Shih, Hui Li, John R. Di Iorio, Jonatan D. Albarracin-Caballero, Aleksey Yezerets, Jeffrey T. Miller, W. Nicholas Delgass, Fabio H. Ribeiro, William F. Schneider, Rajamani Gounder, Science, 357, 898–903, 2017.

“Water Activation and Carbon Monoxide Coverage Effects on Maximum Rates for Low Temperature Water-Gas Shift Catalysis”, W. Damion Williams, Jeffrey P. Greeley, W. Nicholas Delgass , and Fabio H. Ribeiro, Journal of Catalysis, 347, 197–204, 2017.

“Catalysis Science of NOx Selective Catalytic Reduction with Ammonia over Cu-SSZ-13 and Cu-SAPO-34”, Christopher Paolucci, John R. Di Iorio, Fabio H. Ribeiro, Rajamani Gounder, William F. Schneider, Advances in Catalysis, 59, 1-106, 2017.

“High-Pressure Vapor-Phase Hydrodeoxygenation of Lignin-Derived Oxygenates to Hydrocarbons by a PtMo Bimetallic Catalyst: Product Selectivity, Reaction Pathway, and Structural Characterization”, Sara L. Yohe, Harshavardhan J. Choudhari, Dhairya D. Mehta, Paul J. Dietrich, Michael D. Detwiler, Cem M. Akatay, Eric A. Stach, Jeffrey T. Miller, W. Nicholas Delgass, Rakesh Agrawal, and Fabio H. Ribeiro, Journal of Catalysis, 344, 535–552, 2016.

“Catalysis in a Cage: Condition-Dependent Speciation and Dynamics of Exchanged Cu Cations in SSZ-13 Zeolites”, Christopher Paolucci, Atish A. Parekh, Ishant Khurana, John R. Di Iorio, Hui Li, Jonatan Albarracin, Arthur Shih, Trunojoyo Anggara, W. Nicholas Delgass, Jeffrey T. Miller, Fabio H. Ribeiro, Rajamani Gounder, and William F. Schneider, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 138 (18), 6028–6048, 2016.