Production of phenols from lignin via depolymerization and catalytic cracking

• Published in: Fuel processing technology 2013-04, Vol.108, p.69-75
• Main Authors: Yoshikawa, Takuya, Yagi, Taichi, Shinohara, Satoshi, Fukunaga, Tetsuya, Nakasaka, Yuta, Tago, Teruoki, Masuda, Takao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; autoclaves; Biomass; Biomass utilization; catalysts; catalytic cracking; Demethoxylation; depolymerization; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Iron oxide catalyst; iron oxides; lignin; Lignin conversion; Natural energy; phenol; Phenols
• ISSN: 0378-3820; 1873-7188
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2012.05.003

Production of phenols from lignin was investigated using a new conversion process consisting of two reaction steps. In the first step, depolymerization of lignin was carried out in an autoclave reactor using a silica-alumina catalyst in a water/1-butanol solution. The yield of lignin-derived liquid product reached 85–88C-mol% under the appropriate reaction conditions. In the second step, catalytic cracking of the liquid products from the first step was carried out using a fixed‐bed flow reactor over an iron oxide catalyst. With this method, total recovered fraction of phenols and the conversion of methoxy phenol reached 6.6–8.6% and 92–94%, respectively. [Display omitted] ► Production of phenols from lignin was investigated via a two-step process. ► Depolymerization of lignin over silica-alumina was promoted using a H2O/BuOH solution. ► Reaction of the lignin-derived liquid product was carried out over an iron oxide catalyst. ► The iron oxide catalyst successfully converted phenols into phenol and cresol.