Valorization of alkanes and biomass

Created in September 2006, the VAALBIO team comprises 8 permanent researchers, 20 doctoral, 1 post-doctoral and 1 engineer. Our activity is focused on the advanced catalytic upgrading of biomass for biorefineries, as well as on a streamlined use of fossil resources.

We gather skills in catalysis, process engineering, catalytic reactors design and high-throughput experiments for valorising light hydrocarbons (C1 toC4), bio-sourced platforms molecules from the lignocellulosics value chain (C1 to C6) as well as fatty compounds and by-products of the oil plants value chain. Our intense private-public partnership activity leads to the licensing of patents, and we also created the start-up company “TEAMCAT Solutions”. We further develop an original fundamental research, with a pioneering activity in hybrid catalysis, which combines chemo- and biocatalysis in one pot.

Benjamin Katryniok, Assistant Professor at Centrale Lille