Published October 10, 2023
By Christine Reed
The UW School of Energy Resources (SER) is pleased to welcome Yi Yao to the research team in the Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion (CCCC).
A native of Xian, China, Yao attended Northwest University in China earning both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in chemical engineering. He came to the University of Wyoming in 2016 to earn his Ph.D. in chemical engineering, graduating in spring 2023.
Throughout his studies, Yao was actively involved in multiple projects affiliated with the CCCC to convert Wyoming Powder River Basin (PRB) coal into high-value products, including the development of carbon quantum dots — a type of nanocarbon material with conductive properties – which were used in a project to create supercapacitors.
Most notably, Yao conducted research on the upstream solvent extraction process developed to convert PRB coal into a liquid feedstock for use in product development, writing his thesis on the topic. He has worked under the guidance of UW faculty members including Patrick Johnson, Erica Belmont, and David Bell.
In September, Yao joined the CCCC in a permanent capacity as an assistant research scientist. In his new role, he will continue to work on the solvent extraction pilot plant in the hopes of scaling it up and optimizing the process technology.
“The solvent extraction project is really exciting work, and I enjoy being in Wyoming,” says Yao. “I think normally when you talk about chemical engineering, it generally relates to petroleum, so to be developing something that is high-value from coal is really exciting. It is a whole new realm to me and I appreciate the diversity in energy development projects in this state.”
The liquid extract produced from the solvent extraction process is used to create a variety of produces such as polymers, coal composite membranes, and most auspiciously, a low emission coal-based asphalt. The work to scale up the solvent extraction processing technology will be critical in providing enough feedstock to produce coal-derived products on the downstream development side of the CCCC.
“We are very excited to continue retaining top University of Wyoming graduates that have invested so much into the success of these research projects,” says CCCC Director Trina Igelsrud Pfeiffer. “Yi has been working on the solvent extraction technology for about a year and a half. He is extremely valuable to the team with his ingenuity, knowledge, and willingness to jump in when needed. Yi will have a significant impact on our ability to scale up this technology as quickly as possible.”
