Industrial scale production of high performance nanophotocatalysts: Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP) as a scalable technology for transition from lab to industrial engineering and the TRL hurdles

Title : Industrial scale production of high performance nanophotocatalysts: Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP) as a scalable technology for transition from lab to industrial engineering and the TRL hurdles

Abstract:

Establishing methods & protocols for synthesis of High-Performance Photocatalytic nanomaterials is a long-sought aim in science and economy. Technology-Readiness-Level (TRL) is a validation ladder that dictates the stages to achieve a successful  transition from Lab towards Industrial Engineering and commercialization of research achievements. Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP) is an established aerosol technology for production of metal oxides at industrial level. Herein we discuss the use of FSP-technology  towards production of High-Performance Photocatalysts and exemplify its connection to the advancement of Technology-Readiness-Level. Key-Performance-Indicators are highlighted in connection with the underlying nanophysics. As a working-topic we focus on Artificial Photosynthesis: currently this is considered among the most challenging high-end photocatalytic technologies, since it encompasses H₂O splitting, H₂ production and ultimately CO₂ reduction towards added-value organics. Optimizing the FSP process to each-one of these steps, plus the selectivity of CO₂ reduction towards a targeted product, pose great challenges on nano-physical chemistry, and process engineering. Defect engineering vs. lattice integrity, surface configuration vs. selectivity, cocatalyst-particle synergy vs. inhibition are among the challenges that the FSP process  is owing  to face and optimize. Herein we will discuss these aspects for three case-studies on innovative FSP-made oxide nanomaterials e.g. ZrO_2-x, Cu-suboxides, NaTaO₃-heterojunctions. FSP reactor configurations will be discussed in tandem with the subtleties posed by the demand for multiparametric balancing of the nanoparticle properties towards competitive TRL advancement.

Audience Take Away:

• Technology-Readiness-Level (TRL) is linked with the ability to engineer nanomaterials at an Industrial Scale.
• Efficient Nano Photocatalysts for Artificial Photosynthesis are long-sought by researchers.
• Flame Spray Pyrolysis offers a versatile, scalable synthesis technology for Industrial Scale TRL advancement.
• Specific engineering challenges posed by Artificial Photosynthesis will be discussed, including nanophysics-aspects, cost/efficiency aspects.

Biography:

Yiannis Deligiannakis is a Professor at the Department of Physics of the University of Ioannina, head of the Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Materials and the Environment (nanomaterials.physics.uoi.gr). He is an elected Visiting Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at ETH Zurich (https://ptl.ethz.ch). He has worked at the "Democritos" Research Center, and at the Section de Bioenergetique Nuclear Research Center (CEA) of Saclay, Paris, France (https://www.i2bc.paris-saclay.fr/). He has served as President-elect of the International Humic Substances Society (2018-2020). His scientific work focuses on the development of new nanocatalysts at  Industrial Scale, using Flame-Spray-Pyrolysis (FSP) technology and their applications in Green Environmental Technologies with an emphasis on "Artificial Photosynthesis" production of H2 from H2O and the conversion of CO2 into next generation liquid fuels. In addition, his research includes studying the environmental behavior of new nanomaterials, understanding their environmental impacts and their life cycle. He has published >200 research articles (h=43). He holds 14 Patents in applied materials technologies.