Dr. Jang’s recent research effort includes two main projects. The 1st project focused on the investigation of the catalytic properties of supported metal catalysts for selective hydrogenation, including compounds with a triple bond. It is our goal to develop and design a more efficient catalyst, with high selectivity and good conversion, for selective hydrogenation of industrial processes, such as multi-billion dollar polyethylene industry. Non-thermal plasma treatments are applied to noble metal catalysts to obtain novel catalytic materials. Characterizations of catalysts prepared by impregnation, precipitation, ion exchange, and others were routinely carried out by various instrumentation techniques, such as DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry), in situ FT-IR (Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy), chemisorption, temperature programmed adsorption/desorption, etc.
Although any reaction on catalyst surface is complicated, the selective hydrogenation of acetylene can be shown schematically in the figure below, including adsorption, surface reaction and desorption while catalyst properties could be changed by various procedures, such as reduction, oxidation, plasma, etc.
Another project focuses on bio-oil production from biomass and wastes and the synthesis of carbon based acid catalysts for biodiesel conversion using oleic acid esterification with methanol as the probe reaction. For bio-oil production, biomass or wastes will go through hydrothermal liquefaction processes followed by separation, identification and quantification to characterize the content and composition of the bio-oil. The schematic diagram could be describe as the figure below. For carbon based acid catalysts, the tasks would be focusing on using starch related materials to prepare catalysts with high density of acid sites via partial carbonization in N2 followed by sulfonation.
Professional Preparation
National Taiwan University, Chemistry, B.S.
University of Texas at Arlington, Applied Chemistry, DSc.
Research Triangle Institute, Heterogeneous Catalysis & Process Engineering, Postdoc.
Appointments
11/2014-present Regents Professor, Texas A&M University System.
8/2007-present Professor, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M U.- Commerce.
5/2007-7/2014 Head, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M U.-Commerce.
3/2006-present Program Director, REU, TUES, S-STEM & Noyce projects of National Science Foundation at Texas A&M U.-Commerce.
6/2005-8/2005 DOE HERE Program for Faculty at the Oak Ridge National Lab.
7/2003-8/2004 Assistant Head and Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M U.-Commerce.
8/2001-7/2007 Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M U.-Commerce.
3/1994-6/2001 Research Chemist/Project Manager, Center for Process Research & Center for Engineering and Environmental Technology, Research Triangle Institute, RTP, NC.
TEACHING EXPERIENCES
Dr. Jang has taught all levels of undergraduate and graduate courses. He has used the NSF POGIL (Process Orientated Guided Inquiry for Learning) approach to teach Physical Chemistry I & II since Fall 2003.
SELECTED UNIVERSITY SERVICES
Faculty Workload Committee, Fall 2011-present
Faculty Mentor Initiative Fall 2010-present
Adviser for the International Fellowship Association at A&M-Commerce, Jan. 2010-present
Facility Advisory Committee, Dec. 2009-present
Adviser for the Taiwanese Student Association at A&M-Commerce, Sept. 2009-present
International Student Committee, Sept. 2004-present
Adviser for the Chinese Student Association at A&M-Commerce, Sept. 2001-present
Recent Publications
Jang, w.-L. and Ratanatawanate, C. “RF non-thermal plasma techniques for catalyst development to improve process efficiencies” US Patent 8,404,608, March 26, 2013.
Ting Zhou, Kristine Jang and Ben W.-L. Jang “Ionic Liquid and Plasma Effects on SiO2 supported Pd for Selective Hydrogenation of Acetylene” Catal. Today,2013, 211, 147.
Yanan Li, Bin Zhu and Ben W.-L. Jang ”Recent Advances of the Non-thermal Plasma Technology for Catalyst Development and Design” Am. Chem. Soc., Div. of Energy & Fuels. PREPRINTS, 2013, 58(1).
Kristine Jang, Ting Zhou and Ben W.-L. Jang “Promotion effects of nonthermal Ar plasma on Silica supported Pd catalysts with ionic liquids for selective hydrogenation of acetylene” Am. Chem. Soc., Div. of Energy & Fuels. PREPRINTS,2013, 58(1).
De-Zhi Zhao, Chuan Shi, Xiao-Song Li, Ai-Min Zhu, Ben W.-L. Jang, “Enhanced effect of water vapor on complete oxidation of formaldehyde in air with ozone over MnOx catalysts at room temperature” J. Hazard. Mat. 2012, 239-240, 362
X. Liu, Y. Li, J. Lee, C. Hong, C. Mou, and B. Jang, Selective hydrogenation of acetylene in excess ethylene over SiO2 supported Au-Ag bimetallic catalyst” Appl. Catal. A, 2012, 439-440, 8
X. Liu, C. Mou, S. Lee, Y. Li, J. Secrest, B. Jang, Room temperature O2 plasma treatment of SiO2 supported Au catalysts for selective hydrogenation of acetylene in the presence of large excess of ethylene, J. Catal. 2012, 285(1), 152
Yanan Li and Ben W.-L. Jang ” Non-thermal RF plasma effects on surface properties of Pd/TiO2 catalysts for selective hydrogenation of acetylene” Appl. Catal. A, 2011, 392, 173.
Yanan Li and Ben W.-L. Jang ”Investigation of Metal Precursor-Support Interaction Induced by Calcination and O2 Plasma Treatments” Ind. & Eng. Chem. Res., 2010, 49 (18), pp 8433–8438.
Recent Presentations
Luis Pena and Ben Jang “Investigation of Gallium promoted Pd/TiO2 Catalysts for the Selective Hydrogenation of Acetylene in the Presence of Ethylene” the 46th ACS DFW MiM, Commerce, TX, April 27, 2013.
Arjun Malipeddi and Ben Jang “Synthesis of supported gold catalysts and modification with non-thermal plasma modifications for stable selective hydrogenation of acetylene in ethylene” the 46th ACS DFW MiM, Commerce, TX, April 27, 2013.
Nate Hanson and Ben Jang “Novel Techniques with Starch Based Heterogeneous Acid Catalysts for Biodiesel Synthesis” the 46th ACS DFW MiM, Commerce, TX, April 27, 2013.
Kristine Jang and Ben Jang “PROMOTION EFFECTS OF NONTHERMAL PLASMA ON PD CATALYSTS SUPPORTED BY SILICA WITH [BMIM][PF6] AND [EMIM][BF4] FOR SELECTIVE HYDROGENATION” the 46th ACS DFW MiM, Commerce, TX, April 27, 2013.
Patricia Rhodes and Ben Jang “Catalytic Effect of Promoted Palladium Supported on SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ for use in the Removal of Acetylene from Ethylene Rich Feed Streams” the 46th ACS DFW MiM, Commerce, TX, April 27, 2013.
Bin Zhu and Ben W.-L. Jang ”Recent Advances of the Non-thermal Plasma Technology for Catalyst Development and Design”to be presented at the 245th ACS National Meetings, New Orleans, LA, April 7-11, 2013.
Kristine Jang, Ting Zhou and Ben W.-L. Jang “Promotion effects of nonthermal Ar plasma on Silica supported Pd catalysts with ionic liquids for selective hydrogenation of acetylene” to be presented at the 245th ACS National Meetings, New Orleans, LA, April 7-11, 2013.
Nate Hanson and Ben Jang “Ultrasound assisted heterogeneous catalysis using starch derived acid catalysts for bio-diesel synthesis” Texas A&M System Pathway Symposium, Corpus Christi, TX, Nov 10, 2012.
Ting Zhou and Ben Jang “Selective hydrogenation of acetylene over Pd on Bmim ionic liquid loaded SiO2 support” Texas A&M System Pathway Symposium, Corpus Christi, TX, Nov 10, 2012.
Kristine Jang, Ting Zhou and Ben Jang “Selective hydrogenation of acetylene over Pd on Emim ionic liquid-loaded supports” ACS 68th SWRM, Baton Rouge, LA, Nov 4-7, 2012.
Luis Pena and Ben Jang “Investigation of Gallium promoted Pd/TiO2 Catalysts for the Selective Hydrogenation of Acetylene in the Presence of Ethylene” ACS 68thSWRM, Baton Rouge, LA, Nov 4-7, 2012.
Patricia Rhodes, Victory Dixon “Catalytic hydrogenation of acetylene in ethylene rich feeds utilizing promoted palladium supported on SiO₂ and Al₂O₃” ACS 68thSWRM, Baton Rouge, LA, Nov 4-7, 2012.
Ben Jang “Catalyst Design and Development of Using RF Non-thermal Plasma” ISPCEM 2012, Tianjin, China, Sept. 21-24, 2012
Stephen Starnes, Bukuo Ni, Ben Jang, Lance Whaley, Larry Brough and Fred Jury “University/Community College Collaboration in Professional Development Experiences and Research-based Laboratories to Engage Community College Organic Chemistry Students” ACS 236th National Meetings, Philadelphia PA, August 19-23, 2012.
RECENT PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
Guest Editor of a special issue of Catalysis Today Journal, June 2012-May 2013.
Chair, Advisory Board, 2012 International Symposium on Plasmas for Catalysis and Energy Materials (ISPCEM-2012) September 2011-present
Member, Leadership Group, Chemistry Division of NSF REU. June 2011-present
Chair of the Organization Committee for the “Green Chemistry for Fuels of the Future" symposium, ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, March 2010.
AWARDS AND HONOR
Nomination of 2012 PAESMEM award
The Trezzie Pressley “Ceaseless Industry” Award, 2011
H.M. Lafferty Distinguished Faculty Award for Scholarship and Creative Activity, 2007.
Faculty Development Leave Award (Texas A&M U.-Commerce), 2006-2007.
Nomination for the Neil L. Humfeld Distinguished Faculty Award for Service of 2005 Distinguished Service Award (Texas A&M U.-Commerce) in March 2002.
Sigma Xi Award (UT-Arlington Chapter) as the Outstanding Doctoral Student, 1992.
Collaborators and Affiliations:
PhD Advisor: Prof. Richard B. Timmons, U. of Texas at Arlington.
Postdoc Mentor: Prof. James J. Spivey, Research Triangle Institute (now at LSU)
Prof. Chung-Yuan Mou, National Taiwan University, Taiwan, ROC
Drs. Steve Overbury and Sheng Dai, Oak Ridge National Lab
Prof. Chang-Jun Liu, Tianjin University, China
Prof. Ai-Min Zhu, Dalian University of Technology, China