Cellulose acetate nanocrystals (CNCs) derived soybeans with hydroxyl-rich surfaces have potential as cooperative acidbase organocatalyst and continuous flow reactor. CNCs can replace expensive synthetic polymers and also ceramics that currently are used as catalyst supports and flow reactors.

The aim of this proposal is to experimentally investigate structure, property and performance relations of bifunctional heterogeneous organocatalysts created on CNCs-derived soybean surfaces and formation of hollow fiber reactor for direct hydrogenation and isomerization of high oleic acid and ester soybeans to branched-chain isomers.

The research efforts will directed at:
? Developing bifunctional organocatalyst and hollow fiber reactor from CNCs-derived soybeans
? Evaluating of bifunctional organocatalyst for formulation and isomerization of high oleic soybean oil in both batch and continuous flow systems
? Evaluating cloud point flow and pour point properties of formulated soybean oils
? Evaluating of oxidative and aging stability of formulated oils

Updated April 27, 2021:
This project is designed to extract cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from soybean hulls and formulate into a material which can be used for sustainable conversion of fine chemical applications. These CNCs can be used as a catalyst for sustainable and economically attractive transformations into chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and water treatment.

Most are done using homogeneous catalysts and batch process that typically have short lifetimes and require further separation from reaction mixtures. The CNCs will be used to immobilize cheap chemicals and utilize them as active sites to catalyze reactions under mild conditions while invoking cooperative catalytic pathways, whereby two or more active sites work together to activate the reactant(s). The use of cooperative (bifunctional) catalysts, rather than homogeneous catalyst, and continuous flow chemistry, rather than a batch process, are commonplace in sustainable chemical transformation and attract a great deal of interest with respect to economic and environmentally sustainable production of fine chemicals. This process is a new and novel approach to the role of CNCs from soybean hulls in catalysis and continuous-flow systems. Continuous flow systems allow for more efficiency, quality, safety and conservation of resources than a batch system.

The pharmaceutical industry has been the main market for fine chemicals for many years. Their technology is based on batch processes. Top chemical and pharmaceutical industries include Sigma-Aldrich, Cargill, Monsanto (Bayer now), DOW
Chemicals, Phillips 66, BASF, Evonik, Lonza, DSM, Albemarle, etc.

Because of renewable nature of CNC-derived soybeans and HO coupled with superior environmental compatibility, soybeans oils (natural acids and esters) are finding great interest in various industries as biolubricant and dielectric liquids in transformers and other electrical equipment employed in generation, transmission and distribution of electric power.

Cellulose acetate nanocrystals (CNCs) derived soybeans with hydroxyl-rich surfaces have potential as cooperative acid-base organocatalyst and continuous flow reactor. CNCs can replace expensive synthetic polymers and also ceramics that currently are used as catalyst supports and flow reactors.