Lignin, one of the most abundant renewable organic materials in the world, is a waste product of the paper industry. However, being an aromatic heteropolymer, lignin is the most promising renewable source for valuable aromatic compounds, which are currently synthesized from fossil oil, or the production of synthetic resins, pharmaceuticals and more.
The aqueous phase product downstream of the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of lignin consists of a complex mixture of phenolic compounds among which include guaiacol, catechol and phenol. Owing to similar physicochemical properties, their selective adsorption separation is challenging due to competition of one or more of the species for the active sites on the adsorbent surface. This competitive adsorption has an effect on both the rate and equilibrium adsorption capacity of the system, which is of vital interest in adsorption process design. It thus becomes imperative to look into how the interaction of these compounds affect these parameters using model compounds in a multi-component system.
Your Tasks:
3 month
For further information, please contact Emmanuel Bala.
19.08.2024
Please send your application in electronic form to: emmanuel.bala@kit.edu
vacancy number: IKFT 01-2024
Recognized severely disabled persons will be preferred if they are equally qualified.