Project results were presented at CESEP2023 - CARBON FOR ENERGY STORAGE AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION conference.

The work entitled "COMPOSITE MEMBRANES ACTIVATED CARBON/PVA WITH CATALYTIC PROPERTIES FOR ADVANCED PROCESSES IN BIOREFINERY" presented results of biomass-derived carbon catalyst as catalyst in the esterification reaction of levulinic acid and acetalization of furfural. Additionally, catalytic membranes based in composite materials of PVA and the obtained activated carbon with acid functional groups were prepared and used, aiming at the development of membrane catalytic processes. Other polymeric materials were also tested in the preparation of the composite membranes targeting the improvement of catalytic performance and / or catalyst sustainability. All the prepared catalysts presented catalytic activity and good selectivity. It was possible to prepare composite membranes with the biomass carbons as active phase. These results offer a promising route for converting biomass feedstocks into valuable ester products, contributing to the development of circular economy and to increase the independence on oil feedstock. 

MiCat team present at III RGC - 3ª Reunião do Grupo do Carbono 

"Porous carbon: efficient and sustainable material for catalysis for fine chemicals " was presented at IIIRGC. In this presentation, the work devoted to the development of new highly porous carbon materials following different synthetic methodologies and using different precursor materials, including biomass and waste were presented, and its application in heterogeneous catalysis. The results obtained so far of developed catalytic composite membranes of PVA/carbon, k-carragenan/carbon and PIM/carbon and their applications in the reactions for biomass platform molecules valorisation were also presented.

Workshop "Biomass and Beyond: Sustainable Strategies for Renewable Energy”

Inês Matos gave a lecture about "POROUS CARBON A GREEN CHEMISTRY APPROACH FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY" were results from MiCat team's work were presented.