Application of Carbon and Metal Based Catalysts for the Utilization of Carbon Dioxide and Bio-waste to Get Renewable Energy
Manawadevi Y. Udugala-Ganehenege
University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
: J Nanomater Mol Nanotechnol
Abstract
Magnetic and electrochemical studies of face-to–face arranged, tetraaza-macrocyclic homobimetallic (Metal= Ni, Cu) complexes revealed a significant affinity towards halide ions, and an interesting metal-metal interaction through a halide bridge. With an intention for finding a solution to reduce the environmental pollution caused by CO2 emission, I studied the ability of these metal complexes to utilize CO2 electochemically. The outcome of this attempt ultimately revealed that these complexes were better electrocatalysts for the conversion of very inert CO2 into useful chemicals such as carbonates and oxalates. By integrating the knowledge on electrocatalytic activity of these metal complexes to utilize CO2, a novel Al3+, Fe3+ modified graphene oxide composite (GO) was synthesized with an intention to apply it as a heterogeneous catalyst for the pre-esterification of the bio-oil containing a high level of free fatty acids (FFA). These GO composite had shown a very efficient capacity for the pre-esterification of FFA. It showed 92.72 % conversion of stearic acid into methyl stearate and 95.37 % reduction of FFA content of Calophyllum inophyllum oil. The conversion was conducted under mild reaction conditions. The optimum catalytic dose, reaction time and temperature employed were of 8% (wt.), 3 h and 65 0C, respectively. The catalyst could be easily recovered and reused more than four cycles, effectively. The subsequent employment of pre-esterified Calophyllum inophyllum oil produced biodiesel with 86% yield without encountering unnecessary soap formation.
Biography
Prof. Manawadevi Y. Udugala-Ganehenege has completed her PhD in 2000 from Wayne State University (WSU), Michigan and postdoctoral studies from Monash University School of Chemistry in Australia. She is currently a professor in Inorganic Chemistry of University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Her main research interest is on utilization of carbon dioxide and bio-waste for renewable energy. She has received numerous prestigious fellowships and awards for her academic excellence and research, including 2000 Esther and Stanley Kirshner Graduate Award and 1995-Thomas Rumble Fellowship from WSU, 2011- Endeavour Awards from Australian government, and 2016 and 2017 Presidential Awards from Sri Lankan government.
E-mail: myug@pdn.ac.lk
