生物质领域专家简介（美国篇-6）

Daniel E. Resasco

University of Oklahoma | School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering

Professor and D. Bourne Chair

Biography

Education：

Ph.D. Chemical Engineering (1984)

Yale University

B.S. Chemical Engineering (1975)

Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina

Experience：

Professor, Chemical Engineering Department Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (1983-90); Visiting Professor, Yale University (1986-87, 1991); B. Houssay Award for Scientific Achievement, National Research Council of Argentina (1987); Chairman, Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (1987-88); Senior Scientist, Sun Company, Inc., Pennsylvania (1991-93); Executive Committee, International Congress on Catalysis (1996); Distinguished Overseas Professorship, Shanghai China, December 2017; Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).  December 2014; Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award, May 2013; Oklahoma Chemist of the Year, American Chemical Society (ACS) October 2004; Associate Editor of Journal of Catalysis (2001-2008); Editorial Board of Journal of Catalysis (2001 to date); Editorial Board of Applied Catalysis (1996 to date); Editorial Board of Catalysis Reviews (2014 to date); Editorial Board of Chinese Journal of Catalysis (2014 to date)

Research Summary 

The goal of Resasco’s research is to understand the relationship between the catalytic performance and the microscopic structure and composition of the material, in addition to the links between the synthesis process and the final catalyst. Achieving this goal requires a combination of studies involving materials synthesis, characterization of materials under reaction conditions, and precise measurement of the catalytic behavior (detailed kinetics, obtained under carefully controlled reaction conditions to properly account for parasitic effects, such as mass transfer limitations) . In this interdisciplinary effort, a variety of techniques is employed, including surface spectroscopies (DRUV-VIS, FTIR), x-ray absorption (EXAFS, XANES), X-ray diffraction, microcalorimetry, electron microscopy, resonance techniques, and temperature programmed methods (TPD, TPR, TPO), "in situ" Raman spectroscopy, together with steady-state and transient catalytic activity measurements.  A closely collaboration with experts in theoretical model allows Resasco’s group to develop atomistic reaction mechanisms based in the combination of theory and experiments.

Investigations are conducted on a variety of materials- zeolites, supported metals, and strong solid acids. These fundamental studies are designed to be applicable to industrial processes in several areas:

1. Molecular design of fuels with improved properties (cetane number, octane number, clean combustion)

2. Synthesis of nanostructured materials based on single-walled carbon nanotube

3. Upgrading of biomass to valuable chemicals and fuels

Selected Publications

1. “Commentary: Distributed processes for biomass conversion could aid UN Sustainable Development Goals” Daniel E. Resasco, Bin Wang and David Sabatini, Nature Catalysis,1, 731–735, 2018.

2. “Catalytic upgrading of biomass pyrolysis vapors and model compounds using niobia supported Pd catalyst” Camila A. Teles, Priscilla M. de Souza, Raimundo C. Rabelo-Neto, Michael B. Griffin, Calvin Mukarakate, Kellene A. Orton, Daniel E. Resasco, Fábio B. Noronha, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental 238, 38–50, 2018.

3. “Systems-Level Analysis of Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Coproducing Biobased Fuels and Chemicals: Implications for Sustainability”, AW Beck, AJ O’Brien, GG Zaimes, DE Resasco, SP Crossley, V Khanna, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 6 (5), 5826-5834 2018.

Mahdi M. Abu-Omar

Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

University of California Santa Barbara

Biography

Dr. Abu-Omar completed his Ph.D. from Iowa State University and postdoc from Caltech with Harry Gray. He is the associate director of the Center for Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels (C3Bio), an Energy Frontiers Research Center funded by the Department of Energy. Mahdi is the Founder and President of Spero Energy, Inc., a green specialty chemicals company and a technology provider for the manufacture of high value renewable chemicals from biomass. He is a Fellow of the American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS) since 2012 and was a Senior Fulbright Fellow (2008). His recognitions include the Crano Memorial Lectureship from ACS Akron Section (2013), JPP Young Investigator Award from the Society of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanins (2010), Beckman Young Investigator Award (1999), and NSF CAREER Award (1998). He chaired the Gordon Research Conference on Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms in 2013.

Research Summary

Our research group works at the interface of inorganic chemistry and catalysis to address outstanding issues in energy science, sustainability and green chemistry. Much of modern life materials are based on nonrenewable petroleum. We are active in two areas of research, biomass conversion and bio-inspired chemistry, to discover and develop new transformations and molecules that can serve as monomers for new materials and/or precursors to renewable liquid fuels.

In catalytic conversion of nonfood biomass, we have demonstrated novel methods to convert lignin into two high value phenols. These molecules can be used as monomers to make thermoplastics, precursors to aromatic compounds, and they can be deoxygenated further to high octane hydrocarbon fuels. An attractive feature of our lignin first approach is the preservation of the cellulose, which we have shown can be upgraded via catalysis to value added chemicals or fuel precursors.

In our bioinspired project, we have prepared metal oxo complexes and investigated their use in small molecule activation such as dioxygen and chlorite. In a recent example we discovered and characterized unusual valence tautomerization in manganese oxo corrole that affords upon addition of a proton or a Lewis acid reactivity that spans seven orders of magnitude. These findings illuminate how nature’s enzymes work and provide insight on how we as molecular engineers can design and prepare catalysts tailored for function much like nature does in metalloproteins.

A common theme in our research is catalyst design based on mechanistic understanding on the molecular scale. To determine reaction mechanisms and structure-function relationships, we study chemical kinetics, characterize intermediates, and employ state-of-the art spectroscopy under operando conditions. Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in the group are given the freedom to tailor their own projects and are encouraged to collaborate with their colleagues in the lab as well as peers in other groups on campus with whom we share common scientific interests.

Selected Publications

1. Hao Luo, Ian M. Klein, Yuan Jiang, Hanyu Zhu, Hilkka I. Kenttämaa, and Mahdi M. Abu-Omar “Total Utilization of Miscanthus Biomass, Lignin and Carbohydrate, Using Earth Abundant Nickel Catalyst” ACS Sustainable Chem. & Eng. 2016, 4, 2316–2322.

2. Trenton Parsell, Sara Yohe, John Degenstein, Tiffany Jarrell, Ian Klein, Emre Gencer, Barron Hewetson, Matt Hurt, Jeong Im Kim, Harshavardhan Choudhari, Basudeb Saha, Richard Meilan, Nathan Mosier, Fabio Ribeiro, W. Nicholas Delgass, Clint Chapple, Hilkka I. Kenttämaa, Rakesh Agrawal and Mahdi M. Abu-Omar “A synergistic biorefinery based on catalytic conversion of lignin prior to cellulose starting from lignocellulosic biomass” Green Chem., 2015, 17, 1492-1499.

3. Ashish Bohre, Saikat Dutta, Basudeb Saha and Mahdi M. Abu-Omar “Upgrading Furfurals to Drop-in Biofuels: An Overview” ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2015, 3, 1263-1277.

Email:  abuomar@chem.ucsb.edu

Hou-min Chang

North Carolina State University | NCSU · Department of Forest Biomaterials

Biography

Dr. Hou-min Chang obtained his B.S. in Forestry from National Taiwan University in 1962. He obtained his M.S. (1966) in Chemistry and his Ph.D. (1968) in Wood Chemistry from the University of Washington. During his post-graduate studies, he worked as a research assistant in the area of Wood Chemistry at the University of Washington. Upon receiving his Ph.D., Dr. Chang joined the Department of Wood and Paper Science at NC State. He received the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award from the NC State Alumni Association in both 1993 and 1994. He was a visiting Professor at the University of Tokyo in 1981 and at Kyoto University in 1998. Dr. Chang is a TAPPI Fellow, a member of the American Chemical Society and a Fellow of the International Academy of Science. His research interests are in the chemistry of lignin, chemical processing of wood, chemistry of pulping and bleaching processes and pollution abatement in pulp and paper mills.

Education

B.S. National Taiwan University, 1962

M.S. University of Washington, 1966

Ph.D. University of Washington, 1968

Research Summary

His main research concerns Lignin, Organic chemistry, Pulp and paper industry, Hydrolysis and Enzymatic hydrolysis. His Lignin study is concerned with the larger field of Botany. His work on Yield and Middle lamella as part of his general Organic chemistry study is frequently connected to Library science and Subject areas, thereby bridging the divide between different branches of science.

His work investigates the relationship between Pulp and paper industry and topics such as Waste management that intersect with problems in White rot fungus and Hemicellulose. His research integrates issues of Sugar and Biorefinery in his study of Hydrolysis. His study in Enzymatic hydrolysis is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing from both Pulp and Kraft process.

Organic chemistry

Enzyme

Catalysis

Selected Publications

1. Towards jet fuel from technical lignins: Feedstock-catalyst-product interactions revealed during catalytic hydrogenolysis , CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL (2023)

2. Improved understanding of technical lignin functionalization through comprehensive structural characterization of fractionated pine kraft lignins modified by the Mannich reaction , GREEN CHEMISTRY (2021)

3. Highly efficient conversion of Kraft lignin into liquid fuels with a Co-Zn-beta zeolite catalyst , APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL (2020)

Email: hou-min_chang@ncsu.edu

Joshua S. Yuan

Professor and Chair for Synthetic Biology and Renewable Products

Director, Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub

Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology

Department of Chemical Engineering (Affiliated)

Faculty of Texas A&M Energy Institute

Professional Program in Biotechnology

Biography

education

PhD, University of Tennessee, 2007

MS, University of Arizona, 2001

BS, Fudan University, 1997

experience

2018 – | Professor and Chair for Synthetic Biology and Renewable Products,

Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology

Department of Chemical Engineering (Affiliated)

Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

2015 – | Director, Synthetic and Systems Biology Innovation Hub (SSBiH)

Texas A&M University (TAMU), College Station, TX

2017 – 2018 | Professor, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

2013 – 2017 | Associate Professor, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

2008 – 2013 | Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

2004 – 2008 | Genomics Scientist, Department of Plant Sciences, Director, Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) Genomics Hub, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

Research Summary

Joshua Yuan’s research encompasses four major directions: renewable biomaterials, carbon capture and utilization, integrated biorefining, systems and synthetic biology. For renewable biomaterial, he has pioneered new chemical fractionation and manufacturing technologies along with feedstock design to process lignin into quality carbon fibers, bioplastics, recyclable polymer and biodegradable plastics composites, biodiesel, nanoparticle, asphalt binder modifier and other products. The technology breakthroughs are based on fundamental understanding of structure-function relationship between lignin chemistry and renewable material performance. Furthermore, his team have engineered microorganisms to convert lignin and other waste products into structurally preferred PHA for broad bioplastic applications.

For carbon capture and utilization (CCU), his team integrated artificial intelligence and synthetic biology to develop algal cultivation technologies achieving the highest reported outdoor productivity. Based on this technology, they are advancing novel CCU platforms for flue gas, direct air capture, and various other CO2 emissions. Furthermore, his team is advancing new electro-microbial platforms for CCU.

For integrated biorefining, Professor Yuan’s team addressed the dilemma of "lignin-first" and "carbohydrate-first" processes and designed novel biorefining procedures to synergistically derive more processable lignin and carbohydrate. Together with the biomaterial design and synthetic biology, these engineering technologies could potentially enable the integrated biorefinery with multiple product streams for profitability and sustainability.

For systems and synthetic biology, Professor Yuan’s team advanced the fundamental understanding of photosynthetic carbon repartition from sugar metabolism to terpene biosynthesis. The research has led to the sustainable manufacturing platform for squalene, an essential vaccine adjuvant, cosmetic and nutraceutical product. The research also empowered efficient biomass processing and algal biofuels and bioproduct manufacturing.

Selected Publications

1. Qiang Li, Cheng Hu, Mengjie Li, Phuc Truong, Mandar T Naik, Dwarkanath Prabhu, Leo Hoffmann Jr, William L Rooney, Joshua S. Yuan*, Discovering biomass structural determinants defining the properties of plant-derived renewable carbon fiber, Science

2. Shangxian Xie, Su Sun, Furong Lin, Muzi Li, Yunqiao Pu, Yanbing Cheng, Bing Xu, Zhihua Liu, Leonardo da Costa Sousa, Bruce E Dale, Arthur J Ragauskas, Susie Y Dai, Joshua S Yuan*, Mechanism‐guided design of highly efficient protein secretion and lipid conversion for biomanufacturing and biorefining, Advanced Science, 2019, 6(13), 1801980.

3. Zhihua Liu, N Hao, Somnath Shinde, Yuqiao Pu, Xiaofeng Kang, Arthur J Ragauskas, Joshua S Yuan*, Defining lignin nanoparticle properties through tailored lignin reactivity by sequential organosolv fragmentation approach (SOFA), Green Chemistry, 2019, 21 (2), 245-260

Email: syuan@tamu.edu