Tamer's Contact Information:
Tamer S. Ahmed
Kenan CO2 Center
1017 Main Campus Drive
Suite 3500
Raleigh NC 27606
Phone: (919) 513-2833
Fax: (919) 513-1655
Email: tsahmed @ unity.ncsu.edu (remove spaces in email)
Post Doctorate Research: Catalytic Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol to Methanol
Biodiesel production has increased dramatically in the recent years, as part of the nation’s effort to reduce dependence on petroleum. Biodiesel is typically made by transesterification of vegetable oils with methanol. The principal by–product of biodiesel production is glycerol, which is leading to a global glut of this compound. One possible solution is to carry out the hydrogenolysis of glycerol to higher-value products. Hydrogenolysis of glycerol occurs either through C-O bond cleavage, giving rise to propane-based products such as 1,2- propanediol (propylene glycol) and 1,3 proapanediol, or through C-C cleavage, giving rise to products including ethylene glycol, methanol, and methane. The objective of our research is to maximize the selectivity towards methanol production during the hydrogenolysis of glycerol, since methanol can be recycled for use in the transesterification. To achieve this goal, new catalysts are being developed to increase the selectivity for methanol while decreasing the subsequent conversion of the produced methanol to methane.
PhD, NC State University, December 2007
Dissertation Title: Copolymerization of Vinylidene Fluoride with Hexafluoropropylene in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide.
