Efficient CoCu/SiO2 Catalyst Derived from Co(Cu) Silicate for Aqueous‐Phase Furfural Hydrogenation

• Published in: Chemical engineering & technology 2024-10, Vol.47 (10), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Zhang, Jinxin, Fan, Zhili, Wu, Dongfang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ammonia; Bimetals; Biomass energy production; Carbon; Catalysts; Chemical synthesis; Co1Cu3/SiO2 catalyst; Cyclopentanone; Emissions; Fine chemicals; Furfural; Hydrogenation; Optimization; Selective hydrogenation of aqueous phase; Silicate; Silicon dioxide; Sustainable development
• ISSN: 0930-7516; 1521-4125
• DOI: 10.1002/ceat.202300265

Converting the abundant biomass resources in nature into fine chemicals can not only reduce carbon emissions but also effectively deal with the depletion of fossil energy, which is of strategic significance for sustainable development. In this paper, by optimizing the content of bimetallic components, highly active co‐doped Co1Cu3 bimetallic silicate was designed and synthesized. After reduction, a highly dispersed and stable Co1Cu3/SiO2 catalyst was obtained, which was used to catalyze the aqueous phase hydrogenation of furfural (FFR) to cyclopentanone (CPO). Compared with the traditional supported catalyst, the Co1Cu3/SiO2‐ammonia evaporation (AE)‐300 catalyst prepared by AE has the best performance. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the conversion of FFR was as high as 95.1 % and the selectivity of CPO was 88.6 %. This high activity can be attributed to the formation of highly dispersed and uniform metal active sites with low content of Co. At the same time, the formation of flocculent silicate enhances the synergism between CoCu and SiO2 support and increases the specific surface area of the catalyst. In addition, the experimental results show that the reaction carbon balance will be destroyed with the high concentration of FFR solution. A series of Co‐Cu bimetallic silicates were prepared on the surface of SiO2 microspheres using in situ synthesis method. After reduction, the metal and the support are derived from the same precursor, the metal dispersion is increased, the interaction between the metal and the support is enhanced, and the stability and activity of the catalyst are improved.