Next-generation transition metal and redox catalysis for renewable feedstocks and methane abatement

Background: Rapidly shifting feedstock profiles and stringent environmental regulations require a fundamental redesign of industrial catalytic technologies. Modern chemical engineering must pivot toward unconventional, sustainable raw materials characterized by high heteroatom and oxygen content, while simultaneously striving for net-zero or negative carbon footprints. Concurrently, mitigating low-concentration greenhouse gas waste streams, particularly methane from hard-to-abate sectors, presents an urgent emission control challenge.

Objectives: This presentation addresses these challenges by exploring novel chemical pathways and engineered catalytic systems designed to control selectivity, maximize productivity, and ensure long-term stability during complex selective oxidation and reduction processes.

Methodology & Breakthroughs: We report a universally applicable breakthrough in the synthesis of transition metal catalysts. By optimizing the preparation phase, we achieved a significant increase in active metal dispersion while mitigating common deactivation mechanisms to extend catalyst lifetime. Furthermore, we investigate the fundamental kinetics and surface science of redox catalysis, which remains vital for synthesising dense liquid energy carriers required by the aviation and maritime sectors.

Results & Significance: Finally, we present data on the development, kinetic modeling, and successful scale-up of a robust catalytic system engineered specifically for the mitigation of low-concentration methane emissions in challenging feedstreams. This work provides actionable chemical engineering solutions that bridge the gap between fundamental surface chemistry and scalable, climate-positive industrial processes.