Issue 47 of Science@ifpen - Catalysis, Biocatalysis and Separation

Most frequently, the use of a microorganism in the production of biofuels or biosourced chemicals requires its optimisation. This is achieved through genetic engineering, which involves inactivation and/or addition of one or more genes, to improve the ability of this microorganism to produce a target molecule. (...) At IFPEN, access to genomics (DNA) has helped in gathering data on the composition and structure of the genomes of the microorganisms...

Chemical theory at quantum level (density functional theory or DFT) is an essential tool in rationalising the reaction mechanisms involved in the preparation of catalysts, as well as in their use, thanks to the optimisation of their activity [1,2]. IFPEN has carried out a number of projects aiming to shed light on these catalysts, which are of particular interest to industrial processes...

Although the climate crisis makes the reduction of CO2 emissions a matter of urgency, some industries will have difficulty in avoiding them, such as cement plants (where the core process is currently based on the calcination of CaCO3) or refineries, which are currently highly energy-intensive. Hence the huge potential interest in procedures that could capture the CO2 released directly from the plant (...) then recover it at a fraction of the energy cost...

Driven by the global challenge of switching to a more sustainable economic and energy model, IFPEN has been studying for a number of years biosourced products with high added value and working to develop processes for biomass recovery, as an alternative to conventional petrochemistry.

Zeolites are microporous crystalline aluminosilicates that exist in the natural state and can also be synthesised for a wide range of applications, from the biomedical industry to the production of renewable energy. (...) This work was carried out entirely at IFPEN as part of a doctoral thesis and has resulted in a new stable zeolite...

The production of biofuels, renewable diesel or sustainable aviation fuel can be achieved through lipid feedstocks conversion, such as vegetable oils, used cooking oils or animal fats. Through a hydrotreatment stage, we obtain long-chain normal paraffinsa, which must then be isomerised or cracked in order to adjust the properties of the effluent, resulting in the specifications required according to the targeted fuel type (particularly cold flow properties and/or final distillation temperature)...

Faced with the current climate challenges, alternative fuels are attracting a growing interest for the mobility of the future. Of the various possible alternatives, hydrocarbons could be synthesised via a well-known process: the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, based on Syngas (CO and H2) produced, in particular, by biomass gasification. (...) However, the deactivation of FT catalysts is a major issue that directly impacts the costs of the process. (...) To identify these mechanisms, a multiple-stage methodology was implemented as part of a doctoral thesis...

The increase in the level of atmoshpheric CO2 and the resulting climate change are a global concern. Despite this, the use of fossil fuels continues to grow, in response to high energy demand. Combined with storage and CO2 conversion solutions, Chemical Looping Combustion processes (CLC) offer a medium-term solution to reducing the impact of energy production from fossil fuels, or even biomass...