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“One of Ghana’s, my native country, major export is timber. It is suffice to say that a technology to create bioproducts from wood will contribute in helping my country achieve middle-income status. My decision to enroll at the University of Mainel and to partake in this research project is becoming a seminal moment in my life.” |
My Research
The Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process offers a method of synthesizing hydrocarbons that are suitable for use as liquid fuels and chemicals from any hydrocarbon feedstock, in our case woody- biomass. This synthesis proceeds on supported metal catalysts, and the three key properties of these catalysts are lifetime, activity, and product selectivity. Optimizing these properties for desired commercial application has been the focus of FT catalyst research and development ever since the processes were first discovered. My project is primarily focused on developing, and evaluating the effects of various parameters of, metal-supported catalysts that will enhance the efficiency of FT synthesis. Some of the parameters to be investigated are the effect of support and its porosity on FT reaction rate and hydrocarbon selectivities.
In Other Words
The idea here is to design and develop clean, inexpensive, highly active catalysts to make the conversion of wood to fuels and chemicals possible and efficient. Furthermore, I will investigate the effects of several parameters on the efficacies of the catalysts I develop by employing a novel rapid screening method designed by another graduate student.
Contact Information
5737 Jenness Hall
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
E-mail: isaac.ghampson@umit.maine.edu
