IIT Guwahati develops efficient catalysts to convert industrial waste to valuable chemicals

IIT Guwahati researchers have formulated efficient 'pincer' catalytic systems that transform industrial or biomass wastes into valuable chemicals.

According to the team, tiny amounts of these 'pincer catalysts' repeatedly convert large amounts of industrial waste such as glycerol into lactic acid and hydrogen. Such catalysts also efficiently convert bioethanol, a low-energy density fuel, into high-energy density butanol.

"Pincer catalysts are complex molecules in which, an organic moiety holds on tightly to a metal core. Such an arrangement not only confers stability to the catalyst, but also selectivity to bring about the intended transformations,” said IIT Guwahati an professor.

The findings have also been featured in the Royal Society of Chemistry journals—Chemical Communications and Catalysis Science and Technology.