I would like to carry out research on Enzyme supported magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst systems for Biodiesel production. Homogeneous, heterogeneous and free enzyme based catalyst have main problem of catalyst separation and regeneration. Heterogeneous catalyst solves this issues but active sites of surface molecules can produce leaching in harsh reaction conditions and also it requires centrifuge and filtration techniques. This may give a chance to increase the cost of the products . This is the main challenge for any chemical reaction system. So I am considering Magnetically recoverable nano catalyst or enzyme hybrid catalyst for biodiesel production. This kind of catalyst system can be overcome the challenges of catalyst separation and regeneration of the homogeneous, heterogeneous and enzyme based catalyst system. I provided the challenging issues of biodiesel production to my Prof. But Prof. is not satisfied, my Prof. needs more challenges issues/Breakthroughs in the field. I tried my best level up to my knowledge. I cannot fulfill the requirements of my Prof.
If you want a challenge you could try several things for instance:
- use CO2 as a substrate for methanol production using an enzymatic process. in here you could combine electrochemistry with the enzymatic reduction of CO2 to methanol. this is not published yet and it could be an interesting aim to pursue during your PhD. You could use the same type immobilization technique for both reactions (biodiesel and bioreduction of CO2). You may try to perform this in one pot reactor e.g CSTR or with combination of one CSTR plus plug flow.
- You could also think in glycerol...there are several enzymes that use glycerol as substrate. could theose enzymers work in a solvent free biodiesel environment? could their reaction products and substrates be present and the same time than biodiesel? for instance you could follow a similar strategy to integrate the biodiesel production with the valorization of glycerol...
what do you think?
cheers
Pedro
Dear Pedro
Thank you very much for giving good novelty for my PhD program. Your idea is very interesting. Methanol from CO2 , its a new carrier for biofuel research. I am interested to carry out this kind of novel research with expert support. But my present group is focusing enzymatic transesterifiaction for biodiesel. I am going to carry out differenly enzyme supported magnetic nano particle as bio-catalyst for biodiesel synthesis. My prof is asking me a new novelty or challenges in this work. I am trying and giving some ideas, but my prof. did not accept. ..
I am more interested to carry out CO2 as a substrate for methanol production with valuable guidance support... But I cannot carry out here now..may be i will try in future..
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