Research Project:
Methanol production has nearly doubled in the past decade. It is commercially synthesized from sources such as natural gas, biomass and coal- with syngas as the intermediate. This abundant supply of methanol can be catalytically converted to light olefins such as ethylene and propylene. These are generally polymerized to provide thousands of uses (e.g., ropes, bottles, plastics etc.).
Thus, this project fixates on the direct non-oxidative conversion of methanol to light olefins (i.e, the MTO process). The aim is to develop, synthesize and characterize novel catalysts to in turn enhance process selectivity, conversion and catalytic lifetime. New catalysts such as metal incorporated zeolites, as well as those synthesized on microspheres, will be tested.
Start Date of Current Program: May 2022
Education:
- Bachelor of Engineering: Chemical Engineering; McGill University (2024 expected)
Scholarships/Funding:
- McGill Summer Undergraduate in Engineering Award (2022)
Contact: ralph.alhussami [at] mail.mcgill.ca
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/ralphalhussami
Office: 5290
