Max Mellmer

max.mellmer@gmail.com

Ph.D.: Chemical Engineering (2016)
University of Wisconsin–Madison

M.S.: Chemical Engineering (2014)
University of Wisconsin–Madison

B.S.: Chemical Engineering (2011)
University of North Dakota



Max is from Dickinson, ND. He obtained a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of North Dakota in 2011. While an undergraduate at UND, he spent three years working at Microbeam Technologies, Inc. conducting research with applications in coal combustion, gasification system efficiency, and flue gas cleanup. Max also worked in the lab of Prof. Michael D. Amiridis at the University of South Carolina during a summer-long undegraduate research program, where he developed an interest in heterogeneous catalysis while investigating transition metal catalysts for ethanol steam reforming. His past research experiences in the fields of energy and catalysis led him to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin–Madison under the supervision of Prof. James A. Dumesic. At UW–Madison, he continued research in energy and catalysis focused on developing new strategies to convert lignocellulosic biomass to fuels and chemicals. His research interests involved understanding the fundamental solvation effects of polar aprotic solvents on acid-catalyzed biomass conversion reactions through reaction kinetics studies.

Publications:

  1. Schwartz, T. J.; Lyman, S. D.; Motagamwala, A. H.; Mellmer, M. A.; Dumesic, J. A., Selective Hydrogenation of Unsaturated Carbon–Carbon Bonds in Aromatic-Containing Platform Molecules. ACS Catalysis 2016, 6 (3), 2047-2054.[DOI] 

  2. Liu, Y.; Mellmer, M. A.; Martin Alonso, D.; Dumesic, J. A., Effects of Water on Copper-Catalyzed Conversion of Hydroxymethylfurfural in THF Solvent. ChemSusChem 2015, 8 (23), 3983-3986.[DOI] 

  3. Mellmer, M. A.; Gallo, J. M. R.; Martin Alonso, D.; Dumesic, J. A., Selective Production of Levulinic Acid from Furfuryl Alcohol in THF Solvent Systems over H-ZSM-5. ACS Catalysis 2015, 5 (6), 3354-3359. [DOI] 

  4. Mellmer, M. A.; Martin Alonso, D.; Luterbacher, J. S.; Gallo, J. M. R.; Dumesic, J. A., Effects of γ-Valerolactone in Hydrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Monosaccharides. Green Chemistry 2014, 16 (11), 4659-4662. [DOI] 

  5. Mellmer, M. A.; Sener, C.; Gallo, J. M. R.; Luterbacher, J. S.; Alonso, D. M.; Dumesic, J. A., Solvent Effects in Acid-Catalyzed Biomass Conversion Reactions. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2014, 53 (44), 11872-11875. [DOI] 

  6. Gallo, J. M. R.; Alonso, D. M.; Mellmer, M. A.; Yeap, J. H.; Wong, H. C.; Dumesic, J. A., Production of Furfural from Lignocellulosic Biomass Using Beta Zeolite and Biomass-Derived Solvent. Topics in Catalysis 2013, 56 (18-20), 1775-1781. [DOI] 

  7. Alonso, D. M.; Gallo, J. M. R.; Mellmer, M. A.; Wettstein, S. G.; Dumesic, J. A., Direct Conversion of Cellulose to Levulinic Acid and gamma-Valerolactone Using Solid Acid Catalysts. Catalysis Science & Technology 2013, 3 (4), 927-931. [DOI] 

  8. Alonso, D. M.; Wettstein, S. G.; Mellmer, M. A.; Gurbuz, E. I.; Dumesic, J. A., Integrated Conversion of Hemicellulose and Cellulose from Lignocellulosic Biomass. Energy & Environmental Science 2013, 6 (1), 76-80. [DOI] 

  9. Gallo, J. M. R.; Alonso, D. M.; Mellmer, M. A.; Dumesic, J. A., Production and Upgrading of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Using Heterogeneous Catalysts and Biomass-Derived Solvents. Green Chemistry 2013, 15 (1), 85-90. [DOI]