Unlocking biomass-derived diol manufacturing with heterogeneous catalyst innovation
Producing everyday materials more sustainably is a major challenge for the chemicals industry. Important ingredients used to make plastics, foams, and coatings—such as 1,5-pentanediol and 1,6-hexanediol—are currently made from fossil fuels. Biomass-derived alternatives exist but require expensive product and process modifications as they are not drop-in substitutes, and so converting these renewable sources into useful products efficiently and selectively is difficult, especially when using affordable, widely available metals instead of expensive precious ones. Controlling the reaction steps to produce the desired chemicals without unwanted by-products remains a key obstacle.
This project addresses that challenge by developing new catalysts based on abundant metals like cobalt, nickel, and copper, to make the same diols but from carbohydrate resources. The aim is to create efficient and cost-effective processes for making these important chemicals from renewable feedstocks. The collaboration was originally established with Johnson Matthey, a global leader in catalysis. During the course of the project, Johnson Matthey's Catalyst Technologies division was acquired by Honeywell Technologies, and the collaboration is continuing under Honeywell's leadership. The collaboration brings together the University of Liverpool and Honeywell, combining academic research with industrial expertise. The project is led by Professor Matt Rosseinsky, with Dr Alex Katsoulidis as co-investigator and Dr Marcel Hidajat (SCHEMA PDRA) as the researcher carrying out the work. The Liverpool team specialises in designing and testing large numbers of catalyst materials quickly using automated, high-throughput methods. Industrial guidance was initiated by Dr Paul Collier at Johnson Matthey and is now led by Dr Andrew Steele at Honeywell, who provides guidance on real-world performance requirements, helps connect the research to industrial processes, and supports knowledge transfer through ongoing collaboration and researcher placements.
The project uses automated techniques to rapidly prepare and test many different catalyst combinations, helping identify which materials perform best. By understanding how changes in catalyst composition affect performance, the team can design better catalyst systems and manufacturing processes that improve efficiency and product selectivity. Initial work focuses on converting biomass-derived molecules into one diol product, before extending the approach to more complex reactions needed to produce others.
This research has important implications for sustainable manufacturing. It supports the use of renewable raw materials, reduces carbon emissions associated with chemical production, and helps build more resilient supply chains by reducing dependence on scarce precious metals. The ability to design catalysts more quickly and effectively also has wider benefits, enabling faster innovation across other areas of green chemistry.
Dr Andrew Steele, Principal Technical Expert at Honeywell Technologies"The development of efficient catalytic routes for converting biomass-derived feedstocks into high-value chemicals is an important step towards reducing reliance on fossil resources and supporting a more circular chemicals industry. Equally important is the ability to accelerate the discovery and optimisation of these catalysts. High-throughput experimentation, automation, and digital data-driven approaches enable researchers to explore much wider catalyst design spaces than is possible using traditional methods, significantly shortening development timelines while generating deeper insight into catalyst performance. By combining the University of Liverpool's expertise in automated materials discovery with industrial experience in catalyst and process development, this collaboration is helping to identify practical, scalable catalyst solutions that can support the transition to more sustainable chemical manufacturing."