TRANSFORM

The value-addition to natural resources is a key process towards a sustainable energy transition. During the production of biodiesel, large amounts of glycerol are produced as by- product, which could be used as a base for other chemical compounds. In order to add value to this bio-derived resource, new chemical conversion concepts are necessary, which require new approaches in terms of chemical reactor design and reactor material. The aim of the TransForm project is the combination of the development of new macroscale reactor designs with the addition of functionalities on the nanometer scale, providing both structural stability and chemical activity. To achieve this within a single process, additive manufacturing (3D printing) techniques will be combined with preceramic polymer technology, which enables a rational ceramic materials design employing molecular starting compounds. This project will be carried out in an international consortium involving CNRS (IRCER) in France and two groups at TU Wien in Austria, each contributing knowledge in their respective fields of expertise, including preceramic polymer chemistry and processing technology, additive manufacturing, and catalysis. In the first project phase, new preceramic compounds will be developed which are suitable for various printing processes while, at the same time, containing metal compounds which are essential for the chemical activity in glycerol conversion. In the second project phase, these new compounds will be structured via different additive manufacturing techniques, resulting in complex-shaped ceramics with optimized chemical reactivity and accessibility. In the final stage, the new material and processing concepts will be implemented to yield novel chemical reactor designs, which will be evaluated regarding their potential for glycerol conversion into value-added chemical compounds. In this manner, TransForm will not only generate new knowledge in the fields of materials synthesis, materials design, and ceramics processing, but also provide new approaches towards a sustainable formation of bio-derived material resources based on glycerol.