Renewable Feedstocks
The negative impact of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming is widely recognized as a major and complex challenge for this decade and the decades to come. Although fossil feedstock currently dominate the chemical industry, renewable feedstocks represent promising alternatives to fossil resources. The aim is to reduce the carbon footprint and open up new routes to platform chemicals.
Conversion of Renewables to Value Added Materials
Renewable carbon raw materials such as biomass represent an important element of the future circular economy. In particular, biomass as a highly functionalized feedstock, like sugarcane, harvest- or wood residues offers multiple opportunities for conversion into attractive platform chemicals. These biobased chemicals show a more attractive carbon footprint compared to their petrochemical analogues.
Heraeus recognized the growing demand for alternative carbon feedstocks in the chemical industry several years ago and initiated a development program for precious metal-based catalysts. The program focuses on converting renewable feedstocks such as biomass, as well as secondary carbon sources such as captured CO₂ and plastic waste, into value-added chemicals. In this context, captured CO₂ from industrial process gases can, after purification and with the required energy supplied from renewable sources, be used as an alternative carbon feedstock for the production of chemicals, fuels and plastics.
Drawing on its expertise in precious metals, Heraeus develops and manufactures tailored heterogeneous catalysts for selected conversion processes and the subsequent derivatization of chemical intermediates. At the end of the catalyst lifecycle, Heraeus also offers recycling services to recover precious metals and return them to the material cycle.
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Individualized Catalyst Optimization
Many chemical and physical parameters can affect a catalyst. For this reason, Heraeus offers its customers expert advice to identify the best catalyst for a specific process. Depending on your individual needs, we support a variety of development arrangements for the formulation, scale-up and manufacture of catalysts. Through our unique stage-gate process we are able to offer scalability from the lab, to the pilot plant and, finally, to full industrialization.
Customized Solutions
In many cases, very good results can be obtained with a standard catalyst product. Customer-specific solutions that go beyond a standard product require individualized catalyst optimization. Targeted selection of the best catalyst with the highest efficiency – that’s what we do.
Joint Development Formulations
Bring together your core competencies and Heraeus’ catalyst know-how. Confidentiality and the protection of intellectual property are integral to our collaboration, with options for exclusive cooperation.
Toll Processing
In addition to customized catalysts, Heraeus also offers contract manufacturing of precious metal catalysts to match customer formulations under toll contracts.
Work with our experts to identify the right catalyst for your feedstock and accelerate your process.
Get in Touch With Us
Would you like to know more about our services and products for the conversion of renewable feedstocks? Contact us - we look forward to hearing from you!
