Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the synthesis and application of heterogeneous catalysts based on heteropolyacids for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) production from glucose. Initially, assays were carried out in order to establish the most favorable catalyst synthesis conditions. For such purpose, calcination temperature (300 or 500 °C), type of support (Nb2O5 or Al2O3), and active phase (H3PW12O40—HPW or H3PMo12O40—HPMo) were tested and combined based on Taguchi’s L8 orthogonal array. As a result, HPW-Nb2O5 calcined at 300 °C was selected as it presented optimal HMF production performance (9.5% yield). Subsequently, the reaction conditions capable of maximizing HMF production from glucose using the selected catalyst were established. In these experiments, different temperatures (160 or 200 °C), acetone-to-water ratios (1:1 or 3:1 v/v), glucose concentrations (50 or 100 g/L), and catalyst concentrations (1 or 5% w/v) were evaluated according to a Taguchi’s L16 experimental design. The conditions that resulted in the highest HMF yield (40.8%) consisted of using 50 g/L of glucose at 160 °C, 1:1 (v/v) acetone-to-water ratio, and catalyst concentration of 5% (w/v). Recycling tests revealed that the catalyst can be used in four runs, which results in the same HMF yield (approx. 40%).
Highlights
In an attempt to reduce global dependence on fossil resources, which are associated with important negative environmental impacts, new technologies have been developed that aim to use renewable feedstock for the production of fuels and chemicals [1]
The active phase thermal stability was evaluated by thermogravimetry (TGA) and derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) analysis using a Shimadzu TGA 50 equipment with 50 mL/min of nitrogen flow, heating rate of 10 ◦ C/min in a temperature range of 30 to Glucose concentration was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using an Agilent Technologies 1260 Infinity chromatograph equipped with an isocratic pump, a refractive index detector and a Bio-Rad Aminex HPX-87H column (300 × 7.8 mm)
As it can be seen, HMF yield ranged from 0.7% to 9.5% and glucose conversion from 65.3% to 93.6% according to the conditions established to prepare the catalyst
Summary
In an attempt to reduce global dependence on fossil resources, which are associated with important negative environmental impacts, new technologies have been developed that aim to use renewable feedstock (lignocellulosic raw materials) for the production of fuels and chemicals [1]. Lignocellulosic biomass is an interesting raw material for such application, since it is widely available in the form of agricultural, agro-industrial, and forest residues, inexpensive, and rich in sugars that can be used for producing numerous compounds of industrial interest. HMF is a building block platform chemical that can be used to produce various other compounds, including 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) and liquid fuels, as well as high added-value products such as polyesters, dialdehydes, ethers, among others [3,4]. There has been enormous interest in new processes aiming to obtain HMF in Energies 2020, 13, 655; doi:10.3390/en13030655 www.mdpi.com/journal/energies
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