Chris Saffron

Chris Saffron

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Adjunct Associate Professor, Biofuels
Department of Forestry

Phone:
517-432-7414

Email:

Biography: 

Areas of expertise: process synthesis and techno-economic analysis of catalytic strategies for biofuels; upgrading lignin by pyrolysis and electrocatalysis.

Education: 

PhD, Michigan State University-Chemical Engineering and Material Science, 2005
BS, Michigan State University-Chemical Engineering, 1995
 

Awards: 

2014 CANR Excellence in Teaching Award-Established Teacher

2014 Withrow Teaching Excellence Award in Biosystems Engineering

2012 Withrow Teaching Excellence Award in Biosystems Engineering

2011 Withrow Teaching Excellence Award in Biosystems Engineering

2010 Withrow Teaching Excellence Award in Biosystems Engineering

1995 Awarded membership in Pi Mu Epsilon-Mathematics Honor Society

Kelkar, S.; Saffron, C.M.; Li, Z.; Kim, S.-S.; Pinnavaia, T.J.; Miller, D.J.; Kriegel, R. “Aromatics from biomass pyrolysis vapour using a bifunctional mesoporous catalyst.” Green Chemistry. 2014. 16. 803-812.

Li, Z.; Kelkar, S.; Raycraft, L.; Garedew, M.; Jackson, J.E.; Miller, D.J.; Saffron, C.M. “A mild approach for bio-oil stabilization and upgrading: electrocatalytic hydrogenation using ruthenium supported on activated carbon cloth.” Green Chemistry. 2014. 16, 844-852.

Andreassi, K.; Kelkar, S.; Saffron, C.M. “Aromatic hydrocarbons from biomass fast pyrolysis and catalysis.” Red Cedar Undergraduate Research. 2013. 4, 29-31.

Stoklosa, R.J.; Velez, J.; Kelkar, S.; Saffron, C.M.; Thies, M.C.; Hodge, D.B. “Correlating Lignin Structural Features to Phase Partitioning Behavior in a Novel Aqueous Fractionation of Softwood Kraft Black Liquor.” Green Chemistry. 2013. 15, 2904-2912.

Li, Z.; Garedew, M.; Lam, C.H.; Jackson, J.E.; Miller, D.J.; Saffron, C.M. “Mild electrocatalytic hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation of bio-oil derived phenolic compounds using ruthenium Supported on activated carbon cloth” Green Chemistry. 2012. 14, 2540-2549.

Li, Z.; Kelkar, S.; Lam, C.H.; Luczek, K.; Jackson, J.E.; Miller, D.J.; Saffron, C.M. “Aqueous electrocatalytic hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol and 2-methylfuran using a sacrificial anode.” Electrochimica Acta. 2012. 64, 87-93.

Thelen, K.D.; Gao, J.; Hoben, J.; Qian, L.; Saffron, C.M.; Withers, K. “A spreadsheet-based model for teaching the agronomic, economic and environmental aspects of bioenergy cropping systems.” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 2012. 85, 157-163.

Okoroigwe, E.C.; Li, Z.; Onyegegbu, S.O.; Saffron, C.M. “Maximizing the energy potential of palm kernel shell by pyrolytic conversion to biofuel.” Proceedings of the Fourth International Renewable Energy Congress. Peer reviewed. 2012.

Okoroigwe, E.C.; Saffron, C.M. “Determination of the bioenergy potential of palm kernel shell by physicochemical characterization.” Nigerian Journal of Technology. 2012. 31, 329-335.

Okoroigwe, E.; Li, Z.; Stuecken, T.; Saffron, C.M.; Onyegegbu, S. “Pyrolysis of Gmelina arborea wood for bio-oil/biochar production: Physical and chemical characterization of the products.” Journal of Applied Sciences. 2012. 12(4), 369-374.

Li, M.; Foster, C.; Kelkar, S.; Pu, Y.; Holmes, D.; Ragauskas, A.; Saffron, C.M.; Hodge, D.B. “Structural characterization of alkaline hydrogen peroxide pretreated grasses exhibiting diverse lignin phenotypes.” Biotechnology for Biofuels. 2012. 5(38).

Leistritz, F.L.; Hodur, N.M.; Senechal, D.M.; Stowers, M.D.; McCalla, D.; and Saffron, C.M. “Use of agricultural residue feedstock in North Dakota biorefineries.” Journal of Agribusiness. 2009, 27, 17-32.

Safferman, S.; Liao, W.; and Saffron, C.M. “Engineering the bioeconomy.” Journal of Environmental Engineering-ASCE. 2009, 135, 1085.

Saffron, C.M.; Park, J.-H.; Dale, B.E.; and Voice, T.C. “Kinetics of contaminant desorption from soil: comparison of model formulations using the Akaike Information Criterion.” Environmental Science and Technology. 2006, 40, 7662-7667.

Garedew, M.; Kelkar, S.; Sousa, L.; Li, Z.; Lam, C.H.; Jackson, J.E.; Dale, B.E.; Saffron, C.M. “Pyrolysis and electrocatalysis of extractive ammonia-processed lignin to increase the value of sugar-platform based bioenergy systems.” (782c) Sustainability Engineering Forum. American Institute for Chemical Engineering Annual Meeting. 2013.

Saffron, C.M.; Jackson, J.E.; Li, Z.; Lam, C.H.; Garedew, M.; Erickson, N.; Kelkar, S. “Beyond Ethanol: Hydrocarbon fuels from decentralized fast pyrolysis and electrocatalysis.” (284c) Sustainability Engineering Forum. American Institute for Chemical Engineering Annual Meeting. 2013.

 

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