Synergistic effect between nanostructured catalysts and ultrasound: application in biomass conversion to specialty chemicals – SonoNanoCat

Within the context of sustainable chemistry, sonochemistry is now emerging as an alternative technology in chemistry. In the SonoNanoCat project, we combine the complementary expertise of the Singaporean team (in ultrasonic cavitation, nanostructured cavitation agents, DFT) and the French team (in the design of nanomaterials, heterogeneous catalysis and sonocatalysis) to develop and apply nanostructured catalysts with high lattice oxygen mobility for the selective oxidation of polyfunctional substrates to relevant chemicals with important industrial and societal impact. When carefully designed, the nanostructured catalysts with engineered surface properties can serve as nuclei for the formation and growth of cavitation bubbles as well as active sites for controlling the reactivity of free radicals generated on the surface of the catalyst. When performed in the vicinity of a catalyst, the sonochemistry can be significantly more selective than the conventional method of inception cavitation. Studying the nano-interfaces between the sonocatalysts-cavitation agents and the cavitation bubbles will gain important insights about the reaction mechanisms.