Catalytic conversion of the soluble starch into platform molecules

Located in the heart of South West France, IMT Mines Albi has embodied academic excellence in engineering since 1993. As a renowned general engineering school, it trains future engineers to manage large-scale projects, giving them the means to develop a meaningful career focused on a positive environmental and social impact.

With a rich history and a world-class research cluster, IMT Mines Albi offers high-level training to prepare students for the complex challenges of the real world. IMT Mines Albi is a school of the French Ministry for the Economy, Finance and Industry, and is part of Institut Mines-Télécom, a French federal institute of technological universities of science and management. As an associate member of the EPE University of Toulouse, it is authorized by the Commission des titres d'ingénieur (CTI) to award engineering degrees.

Positioned at the forefront of industrial and academic issues both in France and internationally, IMT Mines Albi drives scientific and economic progress by integrating its four missions into an innovative virtuous circle:

    •    training committed engineers
    •    cutting-edge research and innovation
    •    local and national economic development
    •    dissemination of scientific and technical culture

The transition towards increased use of biomass in a bioreffinery approach is a major issue in the current energetic and environmental context. In this sense, the valorization of biowaste through a bioreffinery approach considering all mass and energy streams is the logical approach for industrial processes to become greener. In the sector of paper and cardboard recycling, there is a potential of production of high-added value molecules from the compounds present in the recycling process effluents. Namely, during recycling, part of the additives present in cardboard is lost, in particular starch, which is found in the process water, favorizing the growth of microorganisms and fermentation reactions and contributing to the effluent’s chemical oxygen demand. Starch is initially used  in cardboad either as dry-strength agent to improve burst and bending properties of packaging papers, or as adhesive in the converting process. When dealing with recycling carboard, starch could be extracted by physico-chemical treatment during carboard pulping and chemical, enzymatic and catalytic thermo-chemical processes, which could be efficient to convert the extracted starch into added value molecules.

In the framework of the PAPERS & CARDBOARDS - PAC3R project (PEPR recyclage), the work carried out on the present internship is dedicated to the valorization of soluble starch from residual cardboard recycling process effluents into valuable platform molecules by the catalytic conversion.

In fact, during the recycling of carboard and paper wastes, a fraction rich in starch can be obtained. If the quality of starch, separated from physico-chemical processes, is not good enough to be recycled as additive in the production of cardboard, it will be submitted to the valorization into high added-value chemicals such as sugars (glucose, fructose etc.), furfurals, humins, levulinic acid etc., via catalytic transformations using water as green solvent, and highly-performing catalysts developed by RAPSODEE partner. For that, original multifunctional solid catalysts will be developed such as hydroxyapatite-based catalysts, natural clay-based catalysts, carbon-based catalysts etc., using non-critical metals (e.g. Fe, Ni, Co) under the form of well-divided species (nanoparticles, nanocluster, or isolated single atoms) as catalytically active phases. One-step transformation process will be targeted in order to optimize cost and minimize environment impact.

Master 2 or equivalent. Student in the final year of engineering studies with a specialty in energy, chemistry, materials or processes. Aptitude for work in the laboratory or on a pilot scale and chemical analysis and desire to discover applied research. Comfortable with reading and writing in French and English.