Abstract: A method that produces coupled radical products from biomass. The method involves obtaining a lipid or carboxylic acid material from the biomass. This material may be a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, a triglyceride of a carboxylic acid, or a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, or any other fatty acid derivative. This lipid material or carboxylic acid material is converted into an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal salt is then used in an anolyte as part of an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell may include an alkali ion conducting membrane (such as a NaSICON membrane). When the cell is operated, the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid decarboxylates and forms radicals. Such radicals are then bonded to other radicals, thereby producing a coupled radical product such as a hydrocarbon. The produced hydrocarbon may be, for example, saturated, unsaturated, branched, or unbranched, depending upon the starting material.

Abstract: An aryl-alkyl (R—Ar) hydrocarbon is prepared by an electrosynthesis process in an electrolytic cell having an alkali ion conductive membrane positioned between an anolyte compartment configured with an anode and a catholyte compartment configured with a cathode. An anolyte solution containing an alkali metal salt of an alkyl carboxylic acid and an aryl compound is introduced into the anolyte compartment. The aryl compound may include an alkali metal salt of an aryl carboxylic acid, an arene (aromatic) hydrocarbon, or an aryl alkali metal adduct (Ar?M+). The anolyte solution undergoes electrolytic decarboxylation to form an alkyl radical. The alkyl radical reacts with the aryl compound to produce the aryl-alkyl hydrocarbon.

Abstract: A method for upgrading pyrolysis oil into a hydrocarbon fuel involves obtaining a quantity of pyrolysis oil, separating the pyrolysis oil into an organic phase and an aqueous phase, and then upgrading the organic phase into a hydrocarbon fuel by reacting the organic phase with hydrogen gas using a catalyst. The catalyst used in the reaction includes a support material, an active metal and a zirconia promoter material. The support material may be alumina, silica gel, carbon, silicalite or a zeolite material. The active metal may be copper, iron, nickel or cobalt. The zirconia promoter material may be zirconia itself, zirconia doped with Y, zirconia doped with Sc and zirconia doped with Yb.

Abstract: A system and process to make cyclic, saturated hydrocarbons from aromatic hydrocarbon intermediates from catalyzed nonoxidative dehydroaromatization (DHA) of methane. The system includes two reaction zones, one containing a dehydroaromatization catalyst and a second containing a hydrogenation catalyst. Methane reacts in the first reaction zone with the DHA catalyst resulting in aromatic hydrocarbons concomitantly produced with hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas is removed and introduced to the second reaction zone with the aromatic hydrocarbon to reductively produce saturated, cyclic hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A system and process to produce an aromatic hydrocarbon via catalyzed nonoxidative dehydroaromatization (DHA). The system includes a reaction zone containing a dehydroaromatization catalyst. A reactant feed stream inlet supplies a reactant composition, such as natural gas, to the reaction zone. A heater maintains the reaction zone at a suitable dehydroaromatization temperature. A product stream exit removes the aromatic hydrocarbon produced by the nonoxidative dehydroaromatization of the reactant composition from the reaction zone. A hydrogen separation membrane is disposed between the reaction zone and a hydrogen stream exit to enable continuous and selective removal of hydrogen produced in the reaction zone. A hydrogen recycle stream diverts a portion of hydrogen from the hydrogen stream exit and adds the portion of hydrogen to the reactant composition supplied to the reaction zone. The hydrogen may also be used to regenerate the dehydroaromatization catalyst.

Abstract: A method that produces coupled radical products from biomass. The method involves obtaining a lipid or carboxylic acid material from the biomass. This material may be a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, a triglyceride of a carboxylic acid, or a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, or any other fatty acid derivative. This lipid material or carboxylic acid material is converted into an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal salt is then used in an anolyte as part of an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell may include an alkali ion conducting membrane (such as a NaSICON membrane). When the cell is operated, the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid decarboxylates and forms radicals. Such radicals are then bonded to other radicals, thereby producing a coupled radical product such as a hydrocarbon. The produced hydrocarbon may be, for example, saturated, unsaturated, branched, or unbranched, depending upon the starting material.

Abstract: A method that produces coupled radical products from biomass. The method involves obtaining a lipid or carboxylic acid material from the biomass. This material may be a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, a triglyceride of a carboxylic acid, or a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, or any other fatty acid derivative. This lipid material or carboxylic acid material is converted into an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal salt is then used in an anolyte as part of an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell may include an alkali ion conducting membrane (such as a NaSICON membrane). When the cell is operated, the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid decarboxylates and forms radicals. Such radicals are then bonded to other radicals, thereby producing a coupled radical product such as a hydrocarbon. The produced hydrocarbon may be, for example, saturated, unsaturated, branched, or unbranched, depending upon the starting material.

Abstract: A method that produces coupled radical products from biomass. The method involves obtaining a lipid or carboxylic acid material from the biomass. This material may be a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, a triglyceride of a carboxylic acid, or a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, or any other fatty acid derivative. This lipid material or carboxylic acid material is converted into an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal salt is then used in an anolyte as part of an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell may include an alkali ion conducting membrane (such as a NaSICON membrane). When the cell is operated, the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid decarboxylates and forms radicals. Such radicals are then bonded to other radicals, thereby producing a coupled radical product such as a hydrocarbon. The produced hydrocarbon may be, for example, saturated, unsaturated, branched, or unbranched, depending upon the starting material.

Abstract: A method that produces coupled radical products from biomass. The method involves obtaining a lipid or carboxylic acid material from the biomass. This material may be a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, a triglyceride of a carboxylic acid, or a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, or any other fatty acid derivative. This lipid material or carboxylic acid material is converted into an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal salt is then used in an anolyte as part of an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell may include an alkali ion conducting membrane (such as a NaSICON membrane). When the cell is operated, the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid decarboxylates and forms radicals. Such radicals are then bonded to other radicals, thereby producing a coupled radical product such as a hydrocarbon. The produced hydrocarbon may be, for example, saturated, unsaturated, branched, or unbranched, depending upon the starting material.

Abstract: A method that produces coupled radical products. The method involves obtaining a sodium salt of a carboxylic acid. The alkali metal salt is then used in an anolyte as part of an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell may include an alkali ion conducting membrane (such as a NaSICON membrane) that separates an anolyte compartment housing the anolyte from a catholyte compartment housing a catholyte. The anolyte includes a first solvent or mixture of solvents and a quantity of the sodium salt of the carboxylic acid. When the cell is operated, the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid decarboxylates and forms radicals. Such radicals are then bonded to other radicals, thereby producing a coupled radical product such as a hydrocarbon.

Abstract: A method for upgrading pyrolysis oil into a hydrocarbon fuel involves obtaining a quantity of pyrolysis oil, separating the pyrolysis oil into an organic phase and an aqueous phase, and then upgrading the organic phase into a hydrocarbon fuel by reacting the organic phase with hydrogen gas using a catalyst. The catalyst used in the reaction includes a support material, an active metal and a zirconia promoter material. The support material may be alumina, silica gel, carbon, silicalite or a zeolite material. The active metal may be copper, iron, nickel or cobalt. The zirconia promoter material may be zirconia itself, zirconia doped with Y, zirconia doped with Sc and zirconia doped with Yb.

Abstract: A method that produces coupled radical products from biomass. The method involves obtaining a lipid or carboxylic acid material from the biomass. This material may be a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, a triglyceride of a carboxylic acid, or a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, or any other fatty acid derivative. This lipid material or carboxylic acid material is converted into an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal salt is then used in an anolyte as part of an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell may include an alkali ion conducting membrane (such as a NaSICON membrane). When the cell is operated, the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid decarboxylates and forms radicals. Such radicals are then bonded to other radicals, thereby producing a coupled radical product such as a hydrocarbon. The produced hydrocarbon may be, for example, saturated, unsaturated, branched, or unbranched, depending upon the starting material.

Abstract: A method that produces coupled radical products from biomass. The method involves obtaining a lipid or carboxylic acid material from the biomass. This material may be a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, a triglyceride of a carboxylic acid, or a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, or any other fatty acid derivative. This lipid material or carboxylic acid material is converted into an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal salt is then used in an anolyte as part of an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell may include an alkali ion conducting membrane (such as a NaSICON membrane). When the cell is operated, the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid decarboxylates and forms radicals. Such radicals are then bonded to other radicals, thereby producing a coupled radical product such as a hydrocarbon. The produced hydrocarbon may be, for example, saturated, unsaturated, branched, or unbranched, depending upon the starting material.

Abstract: A method that produces coupled radical products from biomass. The method involves obtaining a lipid or carboxylic acid material from the biomass. This material may be a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, a triglyceride of a carboxylic acid, or a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, or any other fatty acid derivative. This lipid material or carboxylic acid material is converted into an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal salt is then used in an anolyte as part of an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell may include an alkali ion conducting membrane (such as a NaSICON membrane). When the cell is operated, the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid decarboxylates and forms radicals. Such radicals are then bonded to other radicals, thereby producing a coupled radical product such as a hydrocarbon. The produced hydrocarbon may be, for example, saturated, unsaturated, branched, or unbranched, depending upon the starting material.