Abstract
The development of promising magnetic nanocatalysts is one of the key research topics in the field of catalysis. This is because of their versatile surface physicochemical, magnetic, and size-dependent catalytic properties. Herein, an optimization strategy for the synthesis of high-value fuel grade chemicals from hydro-deoxygenation of biomass-derived furfural and vanillin using a nanostructured magnetic Fe(NiFe)O4-SiO2 catalyst, synthesized by a facile one-pot procedure, was presented. Accordingly, effects of calcination temperature from 400, 500, 600 to 700 °C on the structure-activity properties of the magnetic Fe(NiFe)O4-SiO2 catalyst was systematically studied. The magnetic Fe(NiFe)O4-SiO2 catalyst calcined at 500 °C exhibited the best catalytic performance, giving full conversions of vanillin and furfural, with good selectivity of 63 and 59% to cyclohexane and n-pentane (fuel grade chemicals), respectively. The prowess of this catalyst was attributed to its abundant acid properties in addendum to high BET surface area.
Highlights
Valorization of lignocellulosic biomass and its derived compounds into fuels and chemicals is a key research topic of the 21st century in view of finding sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-derived products
We mainly focused on achieving improved yields of saturated hydrocarbons from furfural and vanillin because saturated hydrocarbons can be used as potential fuel grade chemicals
Possible reaction pathways were proposed for the hydro-deoxygenation of furfural and vanillin over the magnetic nanocatalyst
Summary
Valorization of lignocellulosic biomass and its derived compounds into fuels and chemicals is a key research topic of the 21st century in view of finding sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-derived products. In addition to providing alternative fuels and chemicals, promising valorization of biomass could assist in reducing the net emissions of CO2 through the interplay chemistry of biorefinery and photosynthesis processes, which require economically viable processing methods [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Symmetry 2019, 11, 524 recovery of heterogeneous catalysts (typically solids), these post-reaction steps are time-consuming, uneconomical, and generates huge amounts of solvent waste In this context, the application of magnetically recoverable catalysts in biomass valorization would be a promising strategy as they enable the efficient catalyst recovery using external magnets, and exhibit reasonably good catalytic performance because of their unique nanoscale properties [7,8,9,10,11,12,13]. Possible reaction pathways were proposed for the hydro-deoxygenation of furfural and vanillin over the magnetic nanocatalyst
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