(6bz) Synthesis of Organometallic Single-Site Heterogeneous Catalysts for Sustainable Chemistry

Amid environmental concerns associated with fossil fuels and the ever-increasing trend in worldwide energy consumption, interest in the industrial-scale production of fuels and products from biomass and carbon dioxide (CO₂) is rapidly growing. The primary challenges in current approaches include low reaction rates, low product yields and high costs. All of these challenges could be overcome through the development of active, selective, and robust catalysts. To this end, I am interested in studying the synergistic effect between active supports and homogeneous catalysts in single-site heterogeneous catalysts (SSHC) to achieve a more economically feasible and sustainable conversion of biomass. In contrast to traditional heterogeneous catalysts that are designed using rare transition metals, my research will focus, on: (1) developing SSHC from relatively abundant transition metals (Fe, Cu, Ni) and active supports such as zeolites, tunable acidic & basic clays (montmorillonite & hydrotalcite respectively), and sulfonated SiO₂ , (2) studying catalyst valorization of lignocellulosic sugars, lignin, chitin, and CO₂ to fuels and higher-valued products and (3) investigating novel base-catalyzed dehydration products of glucose. Computer simulations will complement experimental studies to probe mechanisms and rationally design catalysts with optimal activity, selectivity and lifetime.

Teaching Interests:

Given my research and educational background, I am most interested in teaching undergraduate and graduate level kinetics and reaction engineering, as well as undergraduate unit operations, product design, and introductory courses in chemical engineering that introduce students to fundamental concepts. I am interested in developing graduate and undergraduate elective courses in green chemistry and engineering, catalysis, and a course focusing on various commonly used instrumentations such as mass-spectroscopy. I am particularly drawn to the concept of flipped classrooms in which students study the course material outside the classroom while class time is devoted to more in-depth discussion of particular concepts, problem-solving, and engaging hands-on activities to further support course material. I was introduced to this concept during an undergraduate kinetics and reaction engineering course.

Research Experience:

My graduate studies focused on fundamental reaction engineering and heterogeneous catalysis. More specifically, I pursued conversion of cellulosic sugars to value-added products (5-hydroxymethylfurfural, levulinic acid, and GVL) which could be used for fuels, polymers, and specialty chemicals. During this time I learned how to operate and fabricate high pressure batch and flow reactors, design and characterize heterogeneous catalysts, and perform ab-initio quantum chemistry calculations (Gaussian-3 (G3)). For my post-doctoral studies, I joined The George Washington University’s chemistry department to expand my research breadth and knowledge in organic synthesis. I learned how to synthesize homogeneous catalysts that could be immobilized onto active supports to create SSHC with a synergistic effect between the support and immobilized organometallic catalyst.

Teaching Experience:

As a scholar and researcher, I believe it is extremely important to impart knowledge and enjoy mentoring, training, and working with researchers of all levels. Throughout my graduate studies, I served as a Teaching Assistant for an undergraduate/graduate course in Material Engineering and Science and for undergraduate courses in Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry II in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and in the Department of Chemistry, respectively. In addition, as a postdoc, I have given guest lectures for a graduate course in Green Chemistry and Engineering. Over the course of my Ph.D. studies I trained a postdoctoral fellow and mentored over 2 dozen undergraduates, 3 master students, and a high school senior. It was most valuable to see the progress students made towards becoming critical thinkers and independent researchers, integrating classroom knowledge with additional literature search and curiosity to form hypotheses, design experiments to test hypotheses, and interpret results.

Selected Publications:

Karwa, S., Gajiwala, V., Heltzel J., Patil S. K.R., and Lund C. R.F. Reactivity of Levulinic Acid during Aqueous, Acid-Catalyzed HMF Hydration. Catalysis Today., doi:10.1016/j.cattod.2015.06.020

Heltzel J, and Lund C. R.F. Glucose Formate Conversion in gamma-Valerolactone. Catalysis Today.. 2016 26, 88-69

Patil S. K.R., Heltzel J., and Lund C. R.F. Comparison of Structural Features of Humins Formed Catalytically from Glucose, Fructose and HMF. Energy & Fuels., 2012. 26 (8), 5281-5293

Braden D. J., Henao C. A., Heltzel J., Maravelias C. C., and Dumesic J. A. Production of liquid hydrocarbon fuels by catalytic conversion of biomass-derived levulinic acid. Green Chem., 2011.13:1755-1765.

Heltzel J, Patil S.K.R., and Lund C. R.F. Temperature-Programmed Pyrolysis and Oxidation of Glucose-Derived Humins. (manuscript under review at Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research)

Book Chapters:

Heltzel, J., S. R. Patil and C. F. Lund (2016). Humin Formation Pathways. Reaction Pathways and Mechanisms in Thermocatalytic Biomass Conversion II. M. Schlaf and Z. C. Zhang, Springer Singapore: 105-118.

Patents:

Heltzel, J., Finn, M.T., Voutchkova-Kostal, A..Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of CO₂ to Potassium Formate using Glycerol as a Hydrogen source. (provisional application number 62/508,509)

Submitted Proposals:

National Research Council (NRC) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, recommended for funding, unfunded

Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellowship, unfunded

Awards and Fellowships:

Innovation & Entrepreneurship Prize, The George Washington University, Spring 2017

Eastman Kodak Scholars Program, SUNY University at Buffalo, Spring 2014

Honorable Mention, SUNY University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences,

Graduate Student Poster Competition, Buffalo, NY, April 23, 2014

Best professional poster, SUNY University at Buffalo Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering Symposium, Buffalo, NY, October 18, 2013

Mark Diamond Research Award: Non-Aqueous Production of Biofuel, Fall 2013

Postdoctoral Project: “Glycerol Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of CO₂ using Ir and Ru Single-Site Heterogeneous Catalysts Immobilized on Hydrotalcites.”

Under supervision of Adelina Voutchkova-Kostal, Chemistry, The George Washington University

PhD Dissertation: “A Study of Selectivity During Acid-Catalyzed Dehydration of Cellulosic Sugars.”

Under supervision of Carl R.F. Lund, Chemical and Biological Engineering,