Student project descriptions
Effect of other fibres on polycotton waste recycling
Every second a garbage truck full of textile is being discarded, of which the majority is being incinerated or landfilled. A small fraction is being recycling into new valuable products due to the complexity of the textiles. By using acid hydrolysis, we can valorise polycotton waste textiles and use cotton (a polysaccharide of glucose) as an alternative glucose feedstock for the chemical industry that is not in competition with the food industry.
Currently, we are working on a conversion of cotton to glucose and subsequently 5-chloromethylfurfural (CMF) from polycotton waste. Now we want to investigate the rigidity of the system by studying the effect of other commonly used fibres on the glucose production and subsequent conversion of glucose to CMF.
| Duration: | > 5 months |
| Level: | Master/Bachelor |
| Daily supervisor: | Nienke Leenders |
Acid hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass
Biomass is a renewable resource for chemicals that will play an important role in replacing fossil resources. Lignocellulosic materials, meaning wood, are of particular interest due to their availability as residue from forestry and the prevention of competition with food systems. The sugars stored in wood can be extracted via treatment with concentrated acid. This technology was first developed in the early 20th century but has not yet made it to factory scale. We investigate several different avenues towards scale-up, including reaction optimisation, sugar separation, and sugar conversion towards useful chemicals. Multiple projects within this topic are available.
| Duration: | > 5 months |
| Level: | Master/HBO/Bachelor |
| Daily supervisor: | Emma Caarls |
Molecular dynamics modelling of hydrochloric acid mixtures.
The breakdown – hydrolysis – of lignocellulosic biomass is performed in two steps. During pre-hydrolysis, the hemicellulose in the wood is targeted with concentrated hydrochloric acid to extract its monomeric sugars. The cellulose is not affected until the main hydrolysis, which uses super concentrated hydrochloric acid. These higher concentrations make it possible to obtain solubilised monomeric glucose from the cellulose. We want to use molecular dynamics modelling to understand the difference in molecular behaviour between the different acid concentrations and the influence of glucose present in the solution.
| Duration: | > 7 months |
| Level: | Master |
| Daily supervisor: | Emma Caarls/Prof. dr. Bernd Ensing |
Biobased furanic compounds – exploring new circular routes
Do you want to contribute to development of new routes for bio-based monomer production? At Avantium, we develop new types of polymers from biomass, CO2 and waste. Avantium’s most developed technology is the production of furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a monomer for polyethylene furanoate (PEF), which is a plastic with superior properties to PET. In this project, we use 5-(chloromethyl)furfural (CMF), that can be obtained in high yield from biomass or textile waste, to synthesize different types of furanic compounds and develop new chemical routes to FDCA. We would like to explore which compounds can be made from CMF with high efficiency, optimize these reactions and study recycling of solvents. In the end, this will be part of a recycling process from textile waste to bio-based plastic. Would you like to contribute to a sustainable process in an industrial environment? Then this project might be something for you. Feel free to reach out for more information!
| Duration: | > 5 months |
| Level: | Master/HBO/Bachelor |
| Daily supervisor: | Anna Kenbeek |
Oxidation of biobased furanic compounds to obtain monomer for bioplastic
Do you want to contribute to development of new routes for bio-based monomer production? At Avantium, we develop new types of polymers from biomass, CO2 and waste. Avantium’s most developed technology is the production of furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a monomer for polyethylene furanoate (PEF), which is a plastic with superior properties to PET. In this project, we use 5-(chloromethyl)furfural (CMF), that can be obtained in high yield from biomass or textile waste, to synthesize different types of furanic compounds that can be oxidized to FDCA, using the catalyst from the Amoco Mid-Century Process. This catalyst is broadly used for para-Xylene oxidation, but when applying it to a different starting material, there are many new aspects to discover. What is the reaction pathway? Does the solvent (acetic acid) react with the substrates? And finally, how can we optimize the conditions to get the highest FDCA yield?
In the end, your project will be part of a recycling process from textile waste to bio-based plastic. Would you like to contribute to a sustainable process in an industrial environment? Then this project might be something for you. Feel free to reach out for more information!
| Duration: | > 5 months |
| Level: | Master/HBO/Bachelor |
| Daily supervisor: | Anna Kenbeek |
New renewable and recyclable Polymers
In our group we work on more sustainable alternatives for fossil-based polymers. From recycled, CO2- or bio-based building blocks, new polyesters can be produced with unique properties. For example, the famous PET bottle can deform when exposed to boiling water, while polyesters produced in our group allow for usage above 100 °C. Would you be interested in making new polyesters and analysing their properties? Please reach out if you want to learn more about this project.
| Duration: | > 5 months |
| Level: | Master/HBO/Bachelor |
| Daily supervisor: | Marian Blom |
Exploring the ideal furanic intermediate towards the synthesis of a bio-based plastic monomer
In the pursuit of a more sustainable economy, Avantium has already accomplished the synthesis of furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) from fructose syrup. FDCA is the key monomer of the new bio-based plastic polyethylene furanoate (PEF), which is the future of several applications, with packaging being one of the most applicable by replacing polyethylene terephthalate (PET). We are currently striving to upgrade our technology by incorporating textile waste to our feedstock arsenal. The key intermediate in the overall process is 5-(chloromethyl)furfural (CMF), which needs to be transformed into a suitable furanic intermediate by, for example, substitution or oxidation, which can then be finally oxidized to FDCA. Several substitution and oxidation reactions will be explored during this project, attempting to reveal the most suitable intermediate. Do you have an interest in organic chemistry towards a more sustainable future? Feel free to contact!
| Duration: | > 5 months |
| Level: | Master/Bachelor/HBO |
| Daily supervisor: | Vasileios Papadopoulos |