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UW Madison chemists discover new way to harness energy from ammonia

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A research team at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has identified a new way to convert ammonia to nitrogen gas through a process that could be a step toward ammonia replacing carbon-based fuels. For a fuel cell, we want an electrical output, not input. This is the first process, as far as we know, to do that.

Energy 418
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Scientists develop method for direct conversion of methane to methanol or acetic acid under mild conditions

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Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory, Tufts University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have shown that mononuclear rhodium species, anchored on a zeolite or titanium dioxide support suspended in aqueous solution, can catalyze the direct conversion of methane to methanol and acetic acid using oxygen and carbon monoxide under mild conditions.

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University of Wisconsin seeking commercial partners for alkylphenol solvent-based method to convert biomass into furan derivatives for fuels and chemicals

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The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial partners for a novel, cost-effective method developed by University of Wisconsin, Madison researchers for producing furan derivatives such as hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), furfural, levulinic acid (LA) or γ-valerolactone (GVL) from biomass using alkylphenols as solvents.

Wisconsin 225
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UW-Madison team develops novel hydrogen-producing photoelectrochemical cell using solar-driven biomass conversion as anode reaction

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Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed an innovative hydrogen-producing photoelectrochemical cell (PEC), using solar-driven biomass conversion as the anode reaction. Examples include the reduction of water to give H 2 and the reduction of CO 2 to give carbon-based fuels such as methanol and methane.

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DOE awards $97M to 33 bioenergy research and development projects

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Scale-Up of the Primary Conversion Reactor to Generate a Lignin-Derived Cyclohexane Jet Fuel. Microchannel Reactor for Ethanol to n-Butene Conversion. Conversion of 2,3-Butanediol to Biojet Fuel: Scale-up and Technoeconomic Analysis of Energy-Efficient Separations and Fermentative Diol Production. University of North Dakota.

Waste 186
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Univ. of Wisconsin team reports on new process for converting hemicellulose to furfural and levulinic acid as renewable fuel precursors and chemicals

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Schematic representation of the conversion of hemicellulose to furfural (FuAL) through the biphasic dehydration of xylose to furfural, followed by the production of levulinic acid (LA) by reduction of furfural to furfuryl alcohol (FuOH) and further reaction of furfuryl alcohol with water in a biphasic reactor. Source: GĂ¼rbĂ¼z et al.

Wisconsin 186
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Wisconsin Researchers Devise Process to Convert Biomass Intermediate Product into Drop-in Transportation Fuels Without Use of External Hydrogen or Precious Metal Catalysts

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Reaction pathways for conversion of GVL to butenes and CO 2 , and the integrated conversion of GVL to both a liquid stream of alkenes for use in transportation fuels and a gaseous stream rich in CO 2 that is appropriate for further processing options. Dumesic (2010) Integrated Catalytic Conversion of ?-Valerolactone Bond et al.

Wisconsin 210