Professor Castaño’s research interests focus on engineering reactions and sustainable catalytic processes. In particular, (1) developing advanced reactors, heterogeneous catalysts and models for these processes; and (2) understanding the fundamental relationships between structure, performance, deactivation of catalysts with the reaction media and reactor performance-dynamics. His research projects target environmental and waste-valorization processes such as the transformations of small- (carbon dioxide, methane, paraffins, methanol) or big-molecules (refinery residues, crude, biomass, lignin, plastic wastes, used tires) into hydrogen, light olefins, platform chemicals or high-quality fuels.

• Dynamics of carbon formation during the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation of raw bio-oil. Hita, I., Cordero-Lanzac, T., Bonura, G., Frusteri, F., Bilbao, J., Castaño, P. Sustainable Energy and Fuels, 4(11), 5503-5512, (2020).
• Implications of feeding or cofeeding bio-oil in the fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) in terms of regeneration kinetics and energy balance. Ochoa, A., Vicente, H., Sierra, I., Arandes, J.M., Castaño, P. Energy, 209, (2020).
• Coke deposition and product distribution in the co-cracking of waste polyolefin derived streams and vacuum gas oil under FCC unit conditions. Rodríguez, E., Elordi, G., Valecillos, J., Izaddoust, S., Bilbao, J., Arandes, J.M., Castaño, P. Fuel Processing Technology, 192, 130-139, (2019).
• Screening hydrotreating catalysts for the valorization of a light cycle oil/scrap tires oil blend based on a detailed product analysis. Palos, R., Kekäläinen, T., Duodu, F., Gutiérrez, A., Arandes, J.M., Jänis, J., Castaño, P. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 256, (2019).
• Coking and sintering progress of a Ni supported catalyst in the steam reforming of biomass pyrolysis volatiles. Ochoa, A., Arregi, A., Amutio, M., Gayubo, A.G., Olazar, M., Bilbao, J., Castaño, P. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 233, 289-300, (2018).
• Revealing the pathways of catalyst deactivation by coke during the hydrodeoxygenation of raw bio-oil. Cordero-Lanzac, T., Palos, R., Hita, I., Arandes, J.M., Rodríguez-Mirasol, J., ...J., Castaño, P. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 239, 513-524, (2018).
• Temperature Programmed Oxidation Coupled with In Situ Techniques Reveal the Nature and Location of Coke Deposited on a Ni/La2O3-αAl2O3 Catalyst in the Steam Reforming of Bio-oil. Ochoa, A., Valle, B., Resasco, D.E., Bilbao, J., Gayubo, A.G., Castaño, P. ChemCatChem, 10(10), 2311-2321, (2018).

• Postdoc, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), 2007-2009
• PhD, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 2006
• MSc, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 2004
• BSc, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 2002

• ​KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC)
• Division of Physical Science and Engineering (PSE)
• Chemical Engineering Program