Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Missouri System received a $149,054 project grant awarded May 1, 2025, by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041). The research project, scheduled for completion by June 30, 2026, focuses on developing fundamental knowledge regarding light alkane upgrading through dehydrogenative C-N coupling with ammonia over bifunctional metal/zeolite catalysts. The primary deliverable is a novel catalytic process that converts ethane—a low-value component of natural gas—into acetonitrile, a commodity chemical, using a bifunctional metal/zeolite catalyst system. The research will produce technical outputs including identification of catalyst structure/performance relationships, fundamental understanding of metal functionality's influence on C-H bond activation, characterization of cobalt and platinum metal sites on zeolite Brønsted/Lewis acidity, and determination of surface reaction intermediates through operando DRIFT-MS and transient experiments.

Additionally, the project includes educational and outreach deliverables targeting underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, with the principal investigator committed to recruiting and retaining promising chemical engineering students from underrepresented groups at the University of Missouri. The research outcomes are intended to provide the scientific foundation for developing efficient ammodehydrogenation catalyst designs with potential environmental and economic advantages over existing technology.