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Heterogeneous Catalysis for Sustainable Conversion of Biomass, Carbon Dioxide and...
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Heterogeneous Catalysis for Sustainable Conversion of Biomass, Carbon Dioxide and Plastic Waste into Fuels and Chemicals

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 9126

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ines Graca

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, Scotland, UK
Interests: heterogeneous catalysis; zeolites; porous materials; carbon dioxide utilisation; biomass valorisation; waste plastic upcycling; energy transition
Dr. Auguste Fernandes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Química Estrutural and Departamento de Engenharia Química, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, P-1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: solid acid catalysts; zeolites synthesis; hierarchical porous materials; hydrocarbons transformation; biomass conversion; advanced spectroscopic methods
Dr. Alan J. McCue

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Interests: heterogeneous catalysis; supported metal catalysts; metal sulfides and phosphides; hydrogenation; carbon dioxide utilization; biomass valorisation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This is a Special Issue on the recent advances in the development and application of heterogenous catalysts for the sustainable conversion of biomass, carbon dioxide and plastic wastes into chemicals and fuels under reaction conditions. We are interested in both experimental and theoretical/computational investigations on this topic, at both the fundamental and more applied levels (i.e., under more realistic conditions; pilot-scale investigations). We are anticipating studies involving the detailed characterisation of catalysts, the establishment of structure–activity correlations, the investigation of reaction networks and the development of kinetic studies and kinetic models. Studies are not limited to the use of one single type of waste feedstock. We also welcome work exploring the potential synergisms between different types of wastes. Additionally, we are not only willing to receive contributions on the use of the heterogeneous catalysts under conventional thermal catalysis conditions, but also under more sustainable and innovative sources of energy, such as plasma, microwave, ultrasounds, electrochemistry, etc.

Dr. Ines Graca
Dr. Auguste Fernandes
Dr. Alan J. McCue
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • heterogeneous catalysts
  • biomass
  • carbon dioxide
  • waste plastics
  • characterisation
  • structure–activity correlations
  • reaction networks
  • kinetic studies and models
  • conventional thermal catalysis
  • sustainable energy sources

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 3762 KiB  
Article
The Characteristics of Hydrodeoxygenation of Biomass Pyrolysis Oil over Alumina-Supported NiMo Catalysts
by Dong-Jin Seo, Jong Beom Lee, Yu-Jin Kim, Hye-Ryeong Cho, So-Yeon Kim, Ga-Eun Kim, Young-Duk Park, Geon-Hee Kim, Jung-Chul An, Kyeongseok Oh and Joo-Il Park
Catalysts 2025, 15(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15010006 - 24 Dec 2024
Viewed by 494
Abstract
The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of biomass pyrolysis oil (BPO) was evaluated in the presence of two commercial alumina-supported transition metal catalysts, NiMo/alumina-1 (NM1) and NiMo/alumina-2 (NM2). The study explored two characteristic aspects: how HDO reaction conditions affected the oxygen content, density, and boiling point [...] Read more.
The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of biomass pyrolysis oil (BPO) was evaluated in the presence of two commercial alumina-supported transition metal catalysts, NiMo/alumina-1 (NM1) and NiMo/alumina-2 (NM2). The study explored two characteristic aspects: how HDO reaction conditions affected the oxygen content, density, and boiling point distribution of BPO with varying temperature and HDO reaction time, and the roles of catalysts. Characterizations of HDO-treated oils included elemental analysis, GC-MS, SIMDIS, 13C NMR, and 1H NMR, and characterizations of catalysts included NH3-TPD, XRF, and TPO-MS analysis. The results show that both NM1 and NM2 catalysts removed oxygenated compounds effectively, which led to decreases in density and shifts toward higher boiling point distributions of BPO. Compared to the NM1 catalyst, NM2 had a higher acidity and enhanced HDO activity. The best HDO reaction performance was achieved in the presence of the NM2 catalyst at 300 °C. Furthermore, HDO reactions showed a significant amount of CO2, CH4, C2H6, and C3H8, which suggests that HDO reactions proceeded via a series of reactions of decarboxylation, water–gas shift, and methanation. In addition, hydrocarbon fraction tests suggested a favorable potential for the blending of HDO-treated biomass pyrolysis oil (HDO-BPO) with petroleum-derived fractions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heterogeneous Catalysis for Sustainable Conversion of Biomass, Carbon Dioxide and Plastic Waste into Fuels and Chemicals)
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13 pages, 4116 KiB  
Article
Unveiling the Influence of Activation Protocols on Cobalt Catalysts for Sustainable Fuel Synthesis
by M. Amine Lwazzani, Andrés A. García Blanco, Martí Biset-Peiró, Elena Martín Morales and Jordi Guilera
Catalysts 2024, 14(12), 920; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14120920 - 13 Dec 2024
Viewed by 574
Abstract
The Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis process is projected to have a significant impact in the near future due to its potential for synthesizing sustainable fuels from biomass, carbon dioxide and organic wastes. In this catalytic process, catalyst activation plays a major role in the overall [...] Read more.
The Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis process is projected to have a significant impact in the near future due to its potential for synthesizing sustainable fuels from biomass, carbon dioxide and organic wastes. In this catalytic process, catalyst activation plays a major role in the overall performance of Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis. Catalyst activation temperatures are considerably higher than the typical operating conditions of industrial reactors. Consequently, ex situ activation is often required for industrial Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis processes. This study evaluated the influence of different activation approaches (in situ, ex situ, passivation and low-temperature activation). Catalytic experiments were conducted in a fixed-bed reactor at 230 °C and 20 bar·g using a reference supported Co/γ-Al2O3 catalyst. Experimental results demonstrate that catalysts can be effectively reduced ex situ. This work reveals that re-activation of the catalyst after ex situ reduction is unnecessary, as the reaction conditions themselves re-reduce any superficial oxides formed, owing to the reducing nature of the reactant mixture. This approach could simplify reactor design by enabling temperature requirements to match operating conditions (e.g., 230 °C), thereby reducing both investment and operational costs and eliminating additional catalyst preparation steps. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heterogeneous Catalysis for Sustainable Conversion of Biomass, Carbon Dioxide and Plastic Waste into Fuels and Chemicals)
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18 pages, 5934 KiB  
Article
Biodiesel Production over Banana Peel Biochar as a Sustainable Catalyst
by Ana Paula Soares Dias, Igor Pedra, Érica Salvador, Bruna Rijo, Manuel Francisco Costa Pereira, Fátima Serralha and Isabel Nogueira
Catalysts 2024, 14(4), 266; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14040266 - 16 Apr 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3582
Abstract
Biodiesel from waste frying oil was produced via methanolysis using biochar-based catalysts prepared by carbonizing banana peels (350 °C and 400 °C) mixed with 20% (wt.) of alkali carbonates (Na, Li, or K). The catalysts exhibited a bi-functional character: acidic and basic. Raman [...] Read more.
Biodiesel from waste frying oil was produced via methanolysis using biochar-based catalysts prepared by carbonizing banana peels (350 °C and 400 °C) mixed with 20% (wt.) of alkali carbonates (Na, Li, or K). The catalysts exhibited a bi-functional character: acidic and basic. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the alkali’s role in char graphitization, influencing morphology and oxygen content. Oxygenated surface sites acted as acidic sites for free fatty acid esterification, while alkali sites facilitated triglyceride transesterification. The best catalyst obtained by carbonization at 350 °C, without alkali modifier, led to 97.5% FAME by processing a waste frying oil with 1.2 mg KOH/g oil acidity. Most of the studied catalysts yielded high-quality glycerin, allowing the significance of homogenous catalyzed processes to be discarded. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heterogeneous Catalysis for Sustainable Conversion of Biomass, Carbon Dioxide and Plastic Waste into Fuels and Chemicals)
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14 pages, 1201 KiB  
Article
Hydrocracking of a HDPE/VGO Blend: Influence of Catalyst-to-Feed Ratio on Fuel Yield and Composition
by Francisco J. Vela, Roberto Palos, Javier Bilbao, José M. Arandes and Alazne Gutiérrez
Catalysts 2024, 14(3), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14030203 - 19 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1722
Abstract
The effects that the catalyst-to-feed ratio have on the yields of products and composition of the naphtha and light cycle oil (LCO) fractions in the hydrocracking of a blend composed of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and vacuum gasoil (VGO) using a PtPd/HY catalyst were [...] Read more.
The effects that the catalyst-to-feed ratio have on the yields of products and composition of the naphtha and light cycle oil (LCO) fractions in the hydrocracking of a blend composed of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and vacuum gasoil (VGO) using a PtPd/HY catalyst were assessed. The hydrocracking runs were carried out in a batch reactor fixing the following operation conditions: 420 °C, 80 bar, 120 min and an HDPE-to-VGO ratio of 0.2 gHDPE gVGO−1, varying the catalyst-to-feed mass ratio within the 0.05–0.1 gcatalyst gfeed−1 range. The obtained results exposed that a catalyst-to-feed mass ratio of 0.075 gcatalyst gfeed−1 provided the best results, since the conversion of the heavy cycle oil (HCO) fraction and of the HDPE offered quite high values (73.1 and 63.9%, respectively) without causing an excessive overcracking in the form of gas products (the yield of gases was of 25%). Moreover, an interesting yield of naphtha (37.0 wt%) with an RON within the commercial standards (92.5) was obtained. With regard to coke formation, not-so-developed structures were formed for a catalyst-to-feed mass ratio of 0.075 gcatalyst gfeed−1, easing their combustion and presumably extending the lifespan of the catalyst. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heterogeneous Catalysis for Sustainable Conversion of Biomass, Carbon Dioxide and Plastic Waste into Fuels and Chemicals)
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Review

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48 pages, 11437 KiB  
Review
Advancing Plastic Recycling: A Review on the Synthesis and Applications of Hierarchical Zeolites in Waste Plastic Hydrocracking
by Muhammad Usman Azam, Waheed Afzal and Inês Graça
Catalysts 2024, 14(7), 450; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal14070450 - 12 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1995
Abstract
The extensive use of plastics has led to a significant environmental threat due to the generation of waste plastic, which has shown significant challenges during recycling. The catalytic hydrocracking route, however, is viewed as a key strategy to manage this fossil-fuel-derived waste into [...] Read more.
The extensive use of plastics has led to a significant environmental threat due to the generation of waste plastic, which has shown significant challenges during recycling. The catalytic hydrocracking route, however, is viewed as a key strategy to manage this fossil-fuel-derived waste into plastic-derived fuels with lower carbon emissions. Despite numerous efforts to identify an effective bi-functional catalyst, especially metal-loaded zeolites, the high-performing zeolite for hydrocracking plastics has yet to be synthesized. This is due to the microporous nature of zeolite, which results in the diffusional limitations of bulkier polymer molecules entering the structure and reducing the overall cracking of plastic and catalyst cycle time. These constraints can be overcome by developing hierarchical zeolites that feature shorter diffusion paths and larger pore sizes, facilitating the movement of bulky polymer molecules. However, if the hierarchical modification process of zeolites is not controlled, it can lead to the synthesis of hierarchical zeolites with compromised functionality or structural integrity, resulting in reduced conversion for the hydrocracking of plastics. Therefore, we provide an overview of various methods for synthesizing hierarchical zeolites, emphasizing significant advancements over the past two decades in developing innovative strategies to introduce additional pore systems. However, the objective of this review is to study the various synthesis approaches based on their effectiveness while developing a clear link between the optimized preparation methods and the structure-activity relationship of the resulting hierarchical zeolites used for the hydrocracking of plastics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heterogeneous Catalysis for Sustainable Conversion of Biomass, Carbon Dioxide and Plastic Waste into Fuels and Chemicals)
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