BioFraMe II – Tailor-made bio-based frameworks for heterogeneous metal catalysts

Challenges

In its diversity, catalysis is viewed as a technology of the future and, as a technical principle for conversion processes, plays an essential role in the bioeconomy. Today over 90 percent of chemical processes are based on catalytic processes. Therefore, bio-based catalysts are playing an increasingly important role in making chemical processes more sustainable. BioFraMe is intended to significantly expand the repertoire of available catalysts and thus make a contribution to sustainable chemistry.

Objectives and project plan

BioFraMes can be tailor-made from bio-based supporting materials. In addition to the implementation of sustainability aspects, a new, broad spectrum of heterogeneous metal catalysts is accessible. The idea of ​​using bio-based supporting materials for preparation of heterogeneous metal catalysts is based on the very good solubility of metal compounds and metal oxides in deep eutectic mixtures (DES) made from biogenic organic compounds. After pyrolysis of the metal-DES mixture under defined conditions, an active heterogeneous metal catalyst is created using simple technology. BioFraMe aims to develop heterogeneous metal catalysts with different bio-based supporting materials in the form of test kits. Individual test kits are to be produced for the applications requested by the customer. The miniaturization is unique and is an ideal opportunity for customers who still see obstacles in bio-based solutions to test “green” catalyst systems without a large investment. The optimal catalysts can then be specifically selected from the test kits and produced in larger amounts.

Impact

The technology used in BioFraMe opens up the possibility of using the entire spectrum of metals for use in heterogeneous catalysis − supported on the new bio-based supporting materials. This makes a defined set of different heterogeneous catalysts and thus a completely new catalyst space accessible, in which not only noble metals are available as heterogeneous metal catalysts for the synthesis.