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Energy and Environment Directorate

Johnny Saavedra Lopez

Johnny Saavedra Lopez

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
PO Box 999
Richland, WA 99352
(509) 375-2087

Biography

Johnny joined the Hydrocarbon Processing group at PNNL in 2015 after a postdoctoral position in San Antonio, TX, bringing with him 10+ years of experience in catalyst and process development. His career has been aimed to the understanding fundamentals of catalysts and adsorbents for industrial applications. His expertise includes mechanistic studies of catalysis by gold, desulfurization and reforming for the production of synthesis gas, and gas processing reactions. His doctoral work was related to the development of catalysts and adsorbents for the desulphurization of natural gas, naphtha and diesel type process streams. His current research interests include the use of natural gas as a chemical feedstock, catalytic transformations for the conversion of biomass derivatives to fuels, solar thermochemical and microchannel reactors.

Education and Credentials

  • B.S., Chemical Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
  • M.Sc., Materials Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de València (Valencia, Spain)
  • Ph.D., Kinetics and Catalysis. Instituto de Tecnología Química, UPV-CSIC (Valencia, Spain)
  • Post-doctorate. Trinity University (San Antonio, Texas)

Affiliations and Professional Service

  • ORCS – Organic Reactions Catalysis Society
  • SWCS – Southwest Catalysis Society

Awards and Recognitions

  • 2016, 2018 – PNNL Outstanding Performance Award.
  • 2015 – Best Fundamental Paper, AIChE – American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Texas division.
  • 2014 – Outstanding Presentation Award, ORCS-Organic Reaction Catalysis Society.
  • 2012, 2013 – Best Poster Presentation Award, SWCS -Southwest Catalysis Society.
  • 2012 – Summa cum laude doctoral thesis – UPV-Universitat Politècnica de València

PNNL Patents

PNNL Publications

2024

  • Saavedra Lopez J., S.D. Davidson, P.H. Humble, D.R. Bottenus, V. Dagle, Y. Jiang, and C.J. Freeman, et al. 2024. "Microchannel Reactive Distillation for the Conversion of Aqueous Ethanol to Ethylene." Journal of Energy Chemistry 98, no. _:481-493. PNNL-SA-190122. doi:10.1016/j.jechem.2024.07.005

2023

  • Kothandaraman J., D.J. Heldebrant, J. Saavedra Lopez, and R.A. Dagle. 2023. "Mechanistic Insights to Drive Catalytic Hydrogenation of Formamide Intermediates to Methanol via Deaminative Hydrogenation." Frontiers in Energy Research 11. PNNL-SA-181662. doi:10.3389/fenrg.2023.1158499

2022

  • Kothandaraman J., J. Saavedra Lopez, Y. Jiang, E.D. Walter, S.D. Burton, R.A. Dagle, and D.J. Heldebrant. 2022. "Integrated Capture and Conversion of CO2 to Methanol in a Post-Combustion Capture Solvent: Heterogenous catalysts for selective C-N bond cleavage." Advanced Energy Materials 12, no. 46:2202369. PNNL-SA-175414. doi:10.1002/aenm.202202369

2020

2019

  • Saavedra Lopez J., R.A. Dagle, V. Dagle, C.D. Smith, and K.O. Albrecht. 2019. "Oligomerization of ethanol-derived propene and isobutene mixtures to transportation fuels: catalyst and process considerations." Catalysis Science & Technology 9, no. 5:1117-1131. PNNL-SA-135575. doi:10.1039/C8CY02297F
  • Saavedra Lopez J., V. Dagle, C.A. Deshmane, L. Kovarik, R.S. Wegeng, and R.A. Dagle. 2019. "Methane and Ethane Steam Reforming over MgAl2O4-Supported Rh and Ir Catalysts: Catalytic Implications for Natural Gas Reforming Application." Catalysts 9, no. 10:Article No. 801. PNNL-SA-146376. doi:10.3390/catal9100801

2018

  • Dagle V., M.D. Flake, T.L. Lemmon, J. Saavedra Lopez, L. Kovarik, and R.A. Dagle. 2018. "Effect of the SiO2 Support on the Catalytic Performance of Ag/ZrO2/SiO2 Catalysts for the Single-Bed Production of Butadiene from Ethanol." Applied Catalysis B: Environmental 236. PNNL-SA-128543. doi:10.1016/j.apcatb.2018.05.055

Energy and Environment

Core Research Areas

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