This project was a collaboration between Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in the United States and the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST) in Egypt aimed at developing an innovative approach to address the limited supply of fossil fuels and their adverse effect on the environment by introducing new sources and tenchologies for clean and sustainable energy. The project focused on developing new catalyst systems for the synthesis of clean liquid fuels from the reaction of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases using the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) by novel graphene-supported nanoparticle catalysts.

The most important outcomes from the project were the introduction of the FTS technology to Egypt, for the first time, and the construction of a State-of-the Art FTS reactor at E-JUST in Egypt. The new reactor is shown in the attached image. This reactor is currently being used by several research groups in Egypt for the development of new catalyst systems for the synthesis of clean transportation fuels and for the conversion of biomass into useful chemicals.

Intellectual Merit: The intellecutual merit of this project lies in the development of a new family of highly active and selective graphene-supported catalysts for the production of efficient and clean-burning liquid fuels. The project developed new concepts and processes that can provide a platform for a rationale catalyst design and optimized catalyst performance for the synthesis of liquid fuels and a variety of useful organic compounds. The project developed several new iron-based catalysts supported on graphene and carbon nanotubes for the synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons. The project developed a general and effective microwave irradiation method for the synthesis of graphene-supported transition metal catalysts for the FTS. These catalysts exhibit high activity and selectivity for the syntehsis of long-chain hydrocarbons from synthesis gas through the FTS.

Broader Impact: The project enhanced the scienticic knowledge of the FTS process and other related fields, and introduced new technologies in Egypt that could be used to increase energy supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. The project also had broad implications in the education and training of junior scientists and students, both in the United Sttaes and in Egypt, in the multi-disciplinary cross-cuttting research areas of catalysis, nanomaterials synthesis and characterization, surface science, industrial chemistry and energy conversion.

The VCU team has provided the E-JUST team with the detailed design of the FTS reactor and has reviewed and approved all the construction plans and the assembly and testing of the reactor by the E-JUST team. The E-JUST team in Egypt has completed the construction and testing of the FTS reactor in collaboration with the VCU team. The VCU team has trained the E-JUST  team on the synthesis of iron-based catalysts supported on graphene and on the operation of the FTS reactor.

Participation of the junior scientists and graduate students in this joint project increased their scientific development, enhanced their technical abilities and broadend their overview visions. Three part-time postdoctoral fellows and two graduate students at VCU have been  trained on the synthesis and characterization of novel transition metal catalysts supported on graphene. At least four graduate students at E-JUST in Egypt have been trained on the design, assembly and operation of the FTS reactor and on hte synthesis and characterizarion of graphene supported transition metal catalysts.

Last Modified: 03/29/2018
Modified by: M. Samy S El-Shall