Center for Catalysis

1. Center for Catalysis Center for Catalysis (CCAT) at Iowa State University is dedicated to the development of useful, practical catalysts and sustainable green chemistry methods. CCAT scientists investigate the application of catalysis and green chemistry methods to agricultural, industrial and environmental science.

2. Chemistry of Biodiesel Transesterification oil glycerol

3. Separation Neutralization Water Wash Neutralization Water Wash Renewable Catalysts Separation Reactor Oil Oil Soluble Catalyst Methanol Oil Methanol Current Catalyst Process vs. New Catalyst Process Current Process Uses Non renewable Catalyst Catalyst left in glycerin co-product Catalyst requires water washing New Catalysts Process Renewable catalysts Eliminates catalyst from glycerin co-product Eliminates water washing

4. Biodiesel • Goal: Convert soy oil into biodiesel and convert byproducts of process into other value-added products, e.g., PDO, anti-freeze. • Approach: Use mesoporous silica nanocatalysts to speed up the conversion process • Agricultural Nanotechnology SEM image of the mesoporous silica microsphere. TEM image of cross-section showing hexagonal lattice units of porous framework.

5. USDA Value-Added Grant Methyl Ester Uses (currently marketed by West Central Soy) SoyPOWER biodiesel SoyPOWER diesel additive SoyPOWER methyl soyate BioSOY Hydraulic Oil SoyTRUK Fifth Wheel Grease SoyLINK Chain Bar Lubricant Graffiti Remover Asphalt Release Concentrate SoyPLUS (dairy feed ingredient Crude Biodiesel Methanol Recovery Methanol Recovery Biodiesel Methanol Separation Renewable Catalysts Feedstock Renewable Catalyst- Conversion of Glycerin to PDO Methanol Recovery Crude Glycerin PDO – Used for: Adhesives Antifreeze Composites Carpets and textiles Engine coolants Polyesters Resins Solvents Urethanes Water based inks

6. Anticipated benefits of new catalysts • Recyclable Catalysts • No catalytic residual left in methyl ester or glycerin • Reduce energy consumption • Reduced construction costs • Enhance economic competitiveness • Reduce environmental impacts

7. Scale-up Activities • Successfully replicated bench-scale procedure to synthesize acid catalyst • Produced over 700 grams of mesoporous silica material in batches that were more than 30 times larger than bench scale

8. Animal Fat or Restaurant Oil Biodiesel Base catalyst destroyed by FFA’s (soap formation) Fatty acid free Oil Esterification by acid catalyst Transesterification by base catalyst Free Fatty Acid Containing Feedstock For Biodiesel Synthesis Oil Glycerol Biodiesel

9. Soybean Biorefinery Soybean oil  Catalyst  Biodiesel + glycerol  Value added products

10. Glycerol to PDO: Synthesis of PDO via Ionic Hydrogenation Triglyceride to Biodiesel and Glycerol:

11. Anticipated Economic Development Benefits • Center for Catalysis, ISU – basic science which creates new commercial business opportunities • New base catalyst facility, West Central • New acid catalyst facility, West Central • New glycerin catalysis synthesis facility, West Central • Excellent opportunity for Iowa Values Fund • Development that is located in rural area – benefits agricultural and manufacturing sector • Creates good, quality jobs