Catalysis in Biomass Valorization for Fuel and Chemicals

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomass Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 12668

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China
Interests: high-density fuel; biofuel; biomass valorization; green chemistry; photocatalytic synthesis
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Guest Editor
School of Resource, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
Interests: biofuel; bio-derived fine chemicals; biomass conversion; acid catalysis; hydrogenation catalysis; bifunctional catalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomass is the only renewable organic carbon source on Earth. With the scarcity of fossil resources and the increasingly serious environmental pollution, converting biomass to fuels and value-added chemicals could be a strategy to accelerate sustainable development and carbon neutrality. Catalysis is the key to unlocking the enormous potential of converting biomass into fuels and value-added chemicals in a sustainable way. Many novel catalytic technologies and reactions have been developed for the synthesis of fuels and chemicals using biomass.

Therefore, this Special Issue of Catalysts will highlight recent developments in the catalytic conversion of biomass of different types (lignocellulosic biomass, algal biomass, vegetable oils, etc.) into biofuels and chemicals. The Guest Editors welcome submissions of original research and review articles authored by researchers from all disciplines investigating topics relevant to catalysis in biomass valorization for fuels and chemicals, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • New catalytic technologies or processes for the conversion of biomass feedstocks;
  • Catalytic synthesis of biofuels;
  • Thermocatalysis for biomass conversion including pyrolysis, gasification, the Fischer–Tropsch process and hydrothermal liquefaction;
  • Thermocatalysis or photocatalysis for biomass conversion;
  • C-C coupling reaction for biomass conversion;
  • Biological fermentation for biofuel production.

To submit your paper select the journal “Catalysts” and the Special Issue “Catalysis in Biomass Valorization for Fuel and Chemicals” via the MDPI Submission System. Please contact the Guest Editor or the journal Editor () for any queries. Our papers will be published on a rolling basis, and we would be pleased to receive your submission once you have finished it.

Dr. Junjian Xie
Dr. Qiang Deng
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • catalyst
  • biomass conversion
  • value-added products
  • biofuels
  • thermocatalysis
  • Photocatalysis
  • green chemistry
  • C-C coupling reaction

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3134 KiB  
Article
Transformation of Furfural-Acetone Condensation Adduct over Mo/SBA-15 Catalysts under Atmospheric Pressure
by Camila A. Teles, Carmen Ciotonea, Sébastien Royer and Frédéric Richard
Catalysts 2023, 13(9), 1276; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13091276 - 5 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1562
Abstract
The transformation of the furfural-acetone condensation adduct (FAc) was investigated under atmospheric pressure at 300 °C over a series of molybdenum supported on SBA-15 doped with different acid/oxophilic species (Zr, Fe and Al). The FAc underwent several reactions including mainly hydrogenation, deoxygenation and [...] Read more.
The transformation of the furfural-acetone condensation adduct (FAc) was investigated under atmospheric pressure at 300 °C over a series of molybdenum supported on SBA-15 doped with different acid/oxophilic species (Zr, Fe and Al). The FAc underwent several reactions including mainly hydrogenation, deoxygenation and cyclization. The order of activity was Mo/Zr-SBA > Mo/Al-SBA > Mo/Fe-SBA ≅ Mo/SBA, demonstrating the positive effect of dopants. Likewise, the synergy between molybdenum with the oxophilic Zr4+ species significantly increased the selectivity toward the partially deoxygenated products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Biomass Valorization for Fuel and Chemicals)
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14 pages, 3691 KiB  
Article
Metal-Doped HZSM-5 Zeolite Catalysts for Catalytic Cracking of Raw Bio-Oil: Exploring Activity toward Value-Added Products
by María Eugenia Chiosso, Iratxe Crespo, Andrea Beatriz Merlo and Beatriz Valle
Catalysts 2023, 13(8), 1198; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13081198 - 10 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2560
Abstract
Catalytic cracking of bio-oil, conducted at atmospheric pressure without hydrogen supply, is a cost-effective and versatile approach for the targeted synthesis of biofuels and platform chemicals. The conversion of raw bio-oil follows intricate reaction pathways strongly influenced by the catalyst properties. In this [...] Read more.
Catalytic cracking of bio-oil, conducted at atmospheric pressure without hydrogen supply, is a cost-effective and versatile approach for the targeted synthesis of biofuels and platform chemicals. The conversion of raw bio-oil follows intricate reaction pathways strongly influenced by the catalyst properties. In this work, we explore the use of various transition metals (Cr, Fe, and Zn) to modify the properties of HZSM-5 zeolite and assess their impact on the catalytic cracking of real raw bio-oil feedstock. The effect of metal loading on physical and chemical characteristics of metal-doped zeolite catalysts was studied through XRD, XRF, N2 physisorption, NH3-TPD, FTIR, H2-TPR. The behavior of each catalyst was evaluated in a continuous two-step catalytic cracking system (TS-CC) operating at 450 °C and space-time 0.7 gcatalysth/gfeed. The results highlight the importance of carefully selecting active metal species to optimize the performance of HZSM-5 in the catalytic cracking of bio-oil. Cr and Fe were found to be effective metals in increasing the selectivity of C2–C4 olefins in the gas product and mono-aromatics in the hydrocarbon liquid product, whereas the Zn-doped catalyst exhibits poor activity compared to bulk zeolite. Furthermore, a significant impact of the metal oxidation state on catalytic activity was observed, with reduced metals promoting the formation of H2, CO, and CO2 at the expense of hydrocarbon production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Biomass Valorization for Fuel and Chemicals)
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15 pages, 4077 KiB  
Article
Lithium–Sodium Fly Ash-Derived Catalyst for the In Situ Partial Deoxygenation of Isochrysis sp. Microalgae Bio-Oil
by Nur Adilah Abd Rahman, Fernando Cardenas-Lizana and Aimaro Sanna
Catalysts 2023, 13(7), 1122; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13071122 - 19 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1103
Abstract
The catalytic potential of Na and LiNa fly ash (FA) obtained through a simple solid-state synthesis was investigated for the pyrolysis of Isochrysis sp. microalgae using a fixed bed reactor at 500 °C. While both LiNa-FA and Na-FA catalysts reduced the bio-oil yield [...] Read more.
The catalytic potential of Na and LiNa fly ash (FA) obtained through a simple solid-state synthesis was investigated for the pyrolysis of Isochrysis sp. microalgae using a fixed bed reactor at 500 °C. While both LiNa-FA and Na-FA catalysts reduced the bio-oil yield and increased char and gas production, LiNa-FA was found to enhance the quality of the resulting bio-oil by decreasing its oxygen content (−25 wt.%), increasing paraffins and olefins and decreasing its acidity. The deoxygenation activity of LiNa-FA was attributed to the presence of weak and mild base sites, which enabled dehydration, decarboxylation, ketonisation, and cracking to form olefins. The bio-oil generated with LiNa-FA contained higher amounts of alkanes, alkenes, and carbonated esters, indicating its capacity to chemisorb and partially desorb CO2 under the studied conditions. These findings suggest that LiNa-FA catalysts could be a cost-effective alternative to acidic zeolites for in situ deoxygenation of microalgae to biofuels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Biomass Valorization for Fuel and Chemicals)
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18 pages, 10264 KiB  
Article
Transformation of Enzymatic Hydrolysates of Chlorella–Fungus Mixed Biomass into Poly(hydroxyalkanoates)
by Olga Senko, Nikolay Stepanov, Olga Maslova and Elena Efremenko
Catalysts 2023, 13(1), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13010118 - 5 Jan 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1919
Abstract
The production of poly(hydroxylalkanoates) (PHA) is limited by the high cost of the feedstock since various biomass wastes look attractive as possible sources for polymer production. The originality of this present study is in the biotransformation of mixed Chlorella-based substrates into PHAs. [...] Read more.
The production of poly(hydroxylalkanoates) (PHA) is limited by the high cost of the feedstock since various biomass wastes look attractive as possible sources for polymer production. The originality of this present study is in the biotransformation of mixed Chlorella-based substrates into PHAs. The synthetic potential of Cupriavidus necator B8619 cells was studied during the bioconversion of algae biomass in mixtures with spent immobilized mycelium of different fungi (genus Rhizopus and Aspergillus) into PHAs. The biomass of both microalgae Chlorella and fungus cells was accumulated due to the use of the microorganisms in the processes of food wastewater treatment. The biosorption of Chlorella cells by fungal mycelium was carried out to obtain mixed biomass samples (the best ratio of “microalgae:fungi” was 2:1) to convert them by C. necator B8619 into the PHA. The influence of conditions used for the pretreatment of microalgae and mixed types of biomass on their conversion to PHA was estimated. It was found that the maximum yield of reducing sugars (39.4 ± 1.8 g/L) can be obtained from the mechanical destruction of cells by using further enzymatic hydrolysis. The effective use of the enzymatic complex was revealed for the hydrolytic disintegration of treated biomass. The rate of the conversion of mixed substrates into the biopolymer (440 ± 13 mg/L/h) appeared significantly higher compared to similar known examples of complex substrates used for C. necator cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Biomass Valorization for Fuel and Chemicals)
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17 pages, 5136 KiB  
Article
Hydrodeoxygenation–Isomerization of Methyl Palmitate over SAPO-11-Supported Ni-Phosphide Catalysts
by Ivan V. Shamanaev, Irina A. Shamanaeva, Ekaterina V. Parkhomchuk and Galina A. Bukhtiyarova
Catalysts 2022, 12(11), 1486; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12111486 - 21 Nov 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2267
Abstract
Ni-phosphide catalysts on SAPO-11 were studied in the hydrodeoxygenation–isomerization of methyl palmitate (C15H31COOCH3—MP). The catalysts were synthesized using temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) of a phosphate precursor ((NH4)2HPO4 and Ni(CH3CH2COO) [...] Read more.
Ni-phosphide catalysts on SAPO-11 were studied in the hydrodeoxygenation–isomerization of methyl palmitate (C15H31COOCH3—MP). The catalysts were synthesized using temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) of a phosphate precursor ((NH4)2HPO4 and Ni(CH3CH2COO)2), TPR of a phosphite precursor (H3PO3 and Ni(OH)2), and using phosphidation of Ni/SAPO-11 by PPh3 in the liquid phase. The samples were characterized by ICP-AES chemical analysis, N2 physisorption, NH3-TPD, XRD, and TEM. First, the screening of the catalysts prepared by the TPR method was carried out in a semi-batch autoclave to determine the influence of the preparation method and conditions on one-pot HDO–isomerization (290–380 °C, 2–3 MPa). The precursor’s nature and the amount of phosphorus strongly influenced the activity of the catalysts and their surface area and acidity. Isomerization occurred only at a low P content (Ni/P = 2/1) and blocking of the SAPO-11 channels by unreduced phosphates at higher P contents did not allow us to obtain iso-alkanes. Experiments with liquid phosphidation samples in a continuous-flow reactor also showed the strong dependence of activity on phosphidation duration as well as on Ni content. The highest yield of isomerized products (66% iso-C15–16 hydrocarbons, at complete conversion of O-containing compounds, 340 °C, 2 MPa, and LHSV = 5.3 h−1) was obtained over 7% Ni2P/SAPO-11 prepared by the liquid phosphidation method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Biomass Valorization for Fuel and Chemicals)
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Review

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16 pages, 1845 KiB  
Review
Mannuronan C-5 Epimerases: Review of Activity Assays, Enzyme Characteristics, Structure, and Mechanism
by Zhongbin Xiao, Ming Sun, Tang Li, Miao Zhao and Heng Yin
Catalysts 2023, 13(1), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal13010028 - 24 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2457
Abstract
Mannuronan C-5 epimerases (ManC5-Es) are produced by brown algae and some bacteria, such as Azotobacter and some Pseudomonas species. It can convert the transformation of β-D-mannuronic acid (M) to α-L-guluronic acid (G) in alginate with different patterns of epimerization. Alginate with different compositions [...] Read more.
Mannuronan C-5 epimerases (ManC5-Es) are produced by brown algae and some bacteria, such as Azotobacter and some Pseudomonas species. It can convert the transformation of β-D-mannuronic acid (M) to α-L-guluronic acid (G) in alginate with different patterns of epimerization. Alginate with different compositions and monomer sequences possess different properties and functions, which have been utilized in industries for various purposes. Therefore, ManC5-Es are key enzymes that are involved in the modifications of alginate for fuel, chemical, and industrial applications. Focusing on ManC5-Es, this review introduces and summarizes the methods of ManC5-Es activity assay especially the most widely used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy method, characterization of the ManC5-Es from different origins especially the research progress of its enzymatic properties and product block distributions, and the catalytic mechanism of ManC5-E based on the resolved enzyme structures. Additionally, some potential future research directions are also outlooked. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis in Biomass Valorization for Fuel and Chemicals)
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