Catalytic potential of green ordered mesoporous carbons, obtained from biomass-derived xylose, glucose, and lignin

• Published in: Microporous and mesoporous materials 2024-05, Vol.372, p.113097, Article 113097
• Main Authors: Casadó, Anna, Rösch, Anies, Rueda, Angie C., Uribe, Alejandro, González, M. Dolores, Romero, Aroldo J., Carvajal, Joan J., Cesteros, Yolanda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Glucose; Heterogeneous catalysts; Lignin; Ordered mesoporous carbons; Xylose
• ISSN: 1387-1811; 1873-3093
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micromeso.2024.113097

Green high-surface area Ordered Mesoporous Carbons (OMCs) (576–948 m2/g) were successfully synthesized by the hard template method using xylose, glucose and lignin solutions obtained from almond shells, a local biomass waste, as carbon precursors, and SBA-15 as a template. The catalytic potential of OMCs, as catalytic supports or as catalysts, has been preliminarily tested for different reactions of interest. A dried sulfonic-acid treated OMC, obtained from xylose extract, led to full conversion and 92% selectivity to di- and tri-ethers of glycerol for the glycerol etherification with isobutene at 80 °C. A sulfonic-acid treated OMC, obtained from glucose, presented a higher turnover frequency (TOF) value and slightly lower selectivity to levulinic acid than commercial Amberlyst-15 for the conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural at 180 °C. The use of an OMC obtained from lignin as catalytic support of a nickel catalyst combined with H-Beta led to 78% of selectivity to cyclohexane at total conversion for the hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol at 180 °C. [Display omitted] •Ordered mesoporous carbons were prepared from xylose, glucose and lignin from biomass.•% of selectivity to h-GTBE was achieved with dried sulfonic-acid OMC from xylose.•Moderate selectivity to levulinic acid was obtained with sulfonic-acid OMC from glucose.•Ni supported on OMC from lignin combined with H-Beta led 78 % of cyclohexane selectivity.•Whole use of biomass waste is proposed to develop the circular bioeconomy concept.