Background:

Cascade reactions, in which several chemical processes take place in a single reactor, offer an efficient way to produce complex compounds. In this master's thesis, a cascade reaction is to be developed in which hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is produced by direct synthesis from H₂ and O₂ and then further processed by an enzymatic reaction with peroxygenases. For this purpose, the use of 3D-printed reactor internals is planned, which integrate both the catalyst for the H₂O₂ synthesis and the enzyme in an optimized geometry.

^{_{Laura L. Trinkies, Derrick Ng, Zongli Xie, Christian H. Hornung, Manfred Kraut, Roland Dittmeyer, Direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide at additively manufactured fluid guiding elements as structured catalysts, Chemical Engineering and Processing - Process Intensification, Volume 188, 2023, 109353, ISSN 0255-2701}}

Aim of the thesis:

The aim of this master thesis is the design, fabrication and experimental validation of 3D-printed flow guiding elements (SLEs) or other geometries for the cascade reaction of H₂O₂ direct synthesis and enzyme catalysis. These internals should make it possible to coat the direct synthesis catalyst on the surface and integrate the enzyme in a "cage" to ensure an efficient and stable reaction.

Tasks:

1. design of the reactor internals:
- Development of 3D models for flow guiding elements (SLEs) and other geometries with integrated areas for the catalyst and enzyme.
- Optimization of the geometry for uniform flow distribution and maximum reaction yield.

2. fabrication and characterization:
- 3D printing of the developed reactor internals using suitable materials.
- Coating the SLEs with the catalyst for H₂O₂ direct synthesis.
- Integration of the enzyme into the cage structure within the SLEs and characterization of the enzyme activity and stability.

3. experimental validation:
- Performing reaction tests to evaluate the efficiency of H₂O₂ synthesis and enzymatic conversion.
- Analysis of the reaction products and evaluation of the stability and long-term performance of the system.

Prerequisites:
- Degree in process engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, materials science or related field.
- Knowledge of catalysis, enzymatic reactions and ideally 3D printing.
- Interest in the development of new reactor technologies and in interdisciplinary research.
- Independent, creative and analytical way of working.

Liquid and Dispersed Systems Group (LIQ)
Job type: Master thesis
Starting date: from October 2024
Contact person: Till Peters, Email: till.peters@kit.edu, Phone: +49 721 608-26716