Production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from starch-rich food waste catalyzed by sulfonated biochar

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2018-03, Vol.252, p.76-82
• Main Authors: Cao, Leichang, Yu, Iris K.M., Chen, Season S., Tsang, Daniel C.W., Wang, Lei, Xiong, Xinni, Zhang, Shicheng, Ok, Yong Sik, Kwon, Eilhann E., Song, Hocheol, Poon, Chi Sun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomass valorization; Brønsted acid; Engineered/designer biochar; HMF; Organic waste recycling; Solid catalyst
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.12.098

[Display omitted] •HMF yield of 30.4 Cmol% (∼20 wt%) from bread waste was achieved at 180 °C in 20 min.•SBC loading, temperature, and reaction time controlled starch conversion route.•HMF yield was in line with the total acidity density (TAD) of SBC.•TAD of recovered biochar catalysts was inversely correlated with humins content.•With regeneration, SBC displayed comparable performance and excellent recyclability. Sulfonated biochar derived from forestry wood waste was employed for the catalytic conversion of starch-rich food waste (e.g., bread) into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). Chemical and physical properties of catalyst were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, and elemental analysis. The conversion of HMF was investigated via controlling the reaction parameters such as catalyst loading, temperature, and reaction time. Under the optimum reaction conditions the HMF yield of 30.4 Cmol% (i.e., 22 wt% of bread waste) was achieved in the mixture of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)/deionized-water (DIW) at 180 °C in 20 min. The effectiveness of sulfonated biochar catalyst was positively correlated to the density of strong/weak Brønsted acidity (SO3H, COOH, and OH groups) and inversely correlated to humins content on the surface. With regeneration process, sulfonated biochar catalyst displayed excellent recyclability for comparable HMF yield from bread waste over five cycles.