Fleetwood

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting proposals for the development of catalysts to enable atomic-level precision and control of complex systems at all scales of production. The goal of the Fleetwood program is to develop stable, active, and selective catalysts that are capable of valorizing lignin-containing waste biomass feedstocks, both domestically and in deployed environments, thereby accessing a robust source for value-added chemicals and precursors. The program consists of two focus areas: developing approaches to extract lignin from a variety of feedstocks and ensuring catalyst stability while maximizing activity and selectivity to convert lignin into chemicals traditionally derived or sourced from imports. Some key points to consider: * Proposers should develop catalytic pathways to extract lignin from real biomass sources and demonstrate effective separation and conversion of lignin into monomers. * Proposers should develop catalysts to convert lignin-derived monomers into value-added chemicals, including pharmaceuticals, defense-relevant materials, lubricants, and other specialty and value-added chemicals. * Proposers should evaluate atom economy and energy usage in addition to cost when selecting a chosen chemical(s). * Proposers should propose routes to functional substitutes or performance advantage chemicals versus direct product replacements. * Proposers should specify and justify the production of the target chemical across three scales of production for evaluation in performer-developed Technoeconomic Analyses (TEAs).