Abstract
The present study investigates the use of SO42-/TiO2-Nb2O5 (STNO) catalyst prepared through the modified sol-gel method in the process of xylose dehydration to furfural. The reaction was carried out in a biphasic solvent consisting of toluene and water. The catalyst used in this study was subjected to several characterization methods, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The textural properties of the catalyst were evaluated by conducting N2 adsorption and desorption measurements using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. The impact of catalyst dosage, resident time, xylose concentration, and reaction temperature in the dehydration of xylose to produce furfural was explored. The study employed response surface methodology to identify the optimal operational parameters that would result in the highest furfural selectivity. At a reaction temperature of 150°C and a reaction duration of 180 min, a maximum conversion of xylose of 98 mol%, furfural selectivity of 74 mol%, and a furfural yield of 63 mol% was obtained. The activation energy for the synthesized catalyst was determined to be 26.7 KJ/mol. The results of this investigation show the great potential that sulfated titanium-niobium mixed oxides have in transforming biomass resources into value-added compounds.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
