Synthesis and characterization of sulfonated activated carbon as a catalyst for bio-jet fuel production from biomass and waste plastics

Tailoring a lignocellulosic biomass to simultaneously enhance N-doping and textural properties of porous carbons designed for effective environmental remediation

Transforming lignocellulosic biomass waste into value-added materials like porous carbons offers a sustainable and increasingly important solution for its efficient management within a circular economy framework. Although the heteroatom-doping process enhances oxygen- or nitrogen-containing functionalities on porous carbons, it often leads to losses in structural integrity and other key functionalities. This study presents a novel protocol to produce N-doped porous carbons that efficiently introduces nitrogen groups while improving surface area, microporosity definition and the concentration of oxygen-containing functionalities. This protocol involves modifying the original lignocellulosic biomass by reducing its recalcitrance and remodeling its natural composition, followed by the mixing equivalent mass of chitosan and preceding a chemical activation process Compared to the parent material, the optimized tailored porous carbons exhibited a 15% increase in surface area (1689 m2 g-1) and 13% in microporous volume, along with rises of 22% and 20% in oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups, respectively. Additionally, the anchoring mechanism, modeled using Advanced Statistical Physical Models (ASPM), based on the grand canonical ensemble in statistical physics, validated the surface versatility and heterogeneity of the porous carbons. This versatility is demonstrated by their above-average adsorption capacities for chemically distinct hazardous components in aqueous matrices - methylene blue (876 mg g-1), Pb2+ (44 mg g-1) and acetylsalicylic acid (169 mg g-1) - emphasizing the potential of these N-doped porous carbons for efficient and sustainable applications in aqueous remediation processes.

Recent advances in applications of animal biowaste-based activated carbon as biosorbents of water pollutants: a mini-review

Advances in green engineering and technology have revealed a number of environmentally acceptable alternatives for water purification. In line with this, recent advances in biosorption of pollutants from aqueous solutions using animal biowaste-based activated carbon (AC) are reported herein. Apart from the fish scale-derived AC which is extensively documented, animal bones, among the rest others, have been studied most widely, followed by hair and feathers. Out of the various target water pollutants, removal of heavy metals has been mostly studied. Majority of the reports showed the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo second order as the best fit. Few investigations on the thermodynamics of the adsorption studies and reports on the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG°), enthalpy change (ΔH°), and entropy change (ΔS°) have also been discussed in this report. It has been concluded that while plant-based AC has gained wide interest, the same is not true for the animal-based counterpart albeit the latter's potential for high sorption efficiency as seen in the present report.

Production of demineralised high quality hierarchical activated carbon from lignite and determination of adsorption performance using methylene blue and p-nitrophenol: The role of surface functionality, accessible pore size and surface area

In the adsorption process, the surface area, pore and particle size distribution and the chemical structure of the solid and the type of adsorbent are of vital importance. Activated carbon (AC) is a very good adsorbent material and its cost is highly dependent on the starting material and production method. The pore size and functional structure of the surface depend on the amount of activation chemical used. Hierarchical ACs were produced from lignite by loading two different amounts of KOH. The impregnation ratio (KOH/lignite) was chosen as 1/1 and 3/1 and the produced ACs were labelled as AC1 and AC3. The surface areas of AC1 and AC3 were determined as 1321.3 and 2421.3 m2/g, and the total pore volumes were 1.079 and 1.425 cm3/g. Methylene blue (MB) and p-nitrophenol (p-NP) were used to determine the adsorption performance of the produced ACs. The adsorption data were evaluated in terms of the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The amounts of MB and p-NP adsorbed on the surface were calculated in mg/g, total and accessible surface area in mg/m2. It was determined that the MB and p-NP adsorbed to the AC1 sample were higher than the AC3 sample per m2 of population. Molecular orientation is possible depending on the solid surface functionality and chemical structure of the molecule to be adsorbed. It was concluded that in addition to the large surface area, the pore width that can be entered and the functional structure of the surface are very significant factors in the adsorption processes.

Preparation of Carbon-Based Solid Acid Catalyst from High-Sulfur Petroleum Coke with Nitric Acid and Ball Milling, and a Computational Evaluation of Inherent Sulfur Conversion Pathways

A series of petroleum coke (petcoke)-derived solid acid catalysts were prepared via nitric acid treatment with or without ball milling pretreatment. The inherent sulfur in petcoke was converted to sulfonic groups, which were active sites for the esterification of octanoic acid and methanol at 60 °C, with ester yields of 14-43%. More specifically, samples without ball milling treated at 120 °C for 3 h had a total acidity of 4.67 mmol/g, which was 1.6 times that of the samples treated at 80 °C, despite their -SO3H acidities being similar (~0.08 mmol/g). The samples treated for 24 h had higher -SO3H (0.10 mmol/g) and total acidity (5.25 mmol/g) but not increased catalytic activity. Ball milling increased the defects and exposed aromatic hydrogen groups on petcoke, which facilitated further acid oxidation (0.12 mmol -SO3H/g for both materials and total acidity of 5.18 mmol/g and 5.01 mmol/g for BP-N-3/120 and BP-N-8/90, respectively) and an increased ester yield. DFT calculations were used to analyze the pathways of sulfonic acid group formation, and the reaction pathway with NO2• was the most thermodynamically and kinetically favourable. The activities of the prepared catalysts were related to the number of -SO3H acid sites, the total acidity, and the oxygen content, with the latter two factors having a negative impact.

Multi-criteria decision analysis for the evaluation and screening of sustainable aviation fuel production pathways

The aviation sector, a significant greenhouse gas emitter, must lower its emissions to alleviate the climate change impact. Decarbonization can be achieved by converting low-carbon feedstock to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This study reviews SAF production pathways like hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA), gasification and Fischer-Tropsch Process (GFT), Alcohol to Jet (ATJ), direct sugar to hydrocarbon (DSHC), and fast pyrolysis (FP). Each pathway's advantages, limitations, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact are detailed, with reaction pathways, feedstock, and catalyst requirements. A multi-criteria decision framework (MCDS) was used to rank the most promising SAF production pathways. The results show the performance ranking order as HEFA > DSHC > FP > ATJ > GFT, assuming equal weight for all criteria.

Chemical Upcycling of Waste Plastics to High Value-Added Products via Pyrolysis: Current Trends, Future Perspectives, and Techno-Feasibility Analysis

Chemical upcycling of waste plastics into high-value-added products is one of the most effective, cost-efficient, and environmentally beneficial solutions. Many studies have been published over the past few years on the topic of recycling plastics into usable materials through a process called catalytic pyrolysis. There is a significant research gap that must be bridged in order to use catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastics to produce high-value products. This review focuses on the enhanced catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastics to produce jet fuel, diesel oil, lubricants, aromatic compounds, syngas, and other gases. Moreover, the reaction mechanism, a brief and critical comparison of different catalytic pyrolysis studies, as well as the techno-feasibility analysis of waste plastic pyrolysis and the proposed catalytic plastic pyrolysis setup for commercialization is also covered.

Effective removal of cationic dye on activated carbon made from cactus fruit peels: a combined experimental and theoretical study

This article investigates experimentally and theoretically the adsorption of Basic Red 46 cationic dye (BR46) using activated carbon generated from cactus fruit peels (ACCFP). The prepared adsorbent was characterized by different analytical tools showing a good surface for the uptake of pollutants. A maximum batch adsorption capacity of 806.38 mg g^-1 was achieved at optimal conditions. The Freundlich model best represented the equilibrium data, although the pseudo-second-order kinetic model best described the adsorption kinetics. The thermodynamic studies demonstrated that the adsorption process was spontaneous (ΔG° < 0) and endothermic (ΔH° = 32.512 kJ mol^-1). DFT descriptors were combined with COSMO-RS and AIM theory to provide a complete picture of the adsorbate/adsorbent system and its molecular interactions. Last, the ACCFP was regenerable up to four times, emphasizing the idea of using it as an adsorbent to treat textile wastewaters.

Value-Added Products from Catalytic Pyrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass and Waste Plastics over Biochar-Based Catalyst: A State-of-the-Art Review

As the only renewable carbon resource on Earth, lignocellulosic biomass is abundant in reserves and has the advantages of environmental friendliness, low price, and easy availability. The pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass can generate solid biochar with a large specific surface area, well-developed pores, and plentiful surface functional groups. Therefore, it can be considered as a catalyst for upgrading the other two products, syngas and liquid bio-oil, from lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis, which has the potential to be an alternative to some non-renewable and expensive conventional catalysts. In addition, as another carbon resource, waste plastics can also use biochar-based catalysts for catalytic pyrolysis to solve the problem of accumulation and produce fuels simultaneously. This review systematically introduces the formation mechanism of biochar from lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis. Subsequently, the activation and modification methods of biochar catalysts, including physical activation, chemical activation, metal modification, and nonmetallic modification, are summarized. Finally, the application of biochar-based catalysts for lignocellulosic biomass and waste plastics pyrolysis is discussed in detail and the catalytic mechanism of biochar-based catalysts is also investigated.

MgO-modified activated biochar for biojet fuels from pyrolysis of sawdust on a simple tandem micro-pyrolyzer

The aim of this work was to study on MgO-modified KOH activated biochar (AC) catalysts, in the pyrolysis of sawdust for the direct production of bio-jet fuels using a tandem micro-pyrolyzer. AC catalysts with various MgO contents (5 to 20 wt%) were synthesized using an impregnation method. The mesopores generated (4 to 18 nm) in the carbon has a great potential in the conversion of oxygenated to jet fuel. The importance of basic nature in the catalysts is demonstrated with the maximum bio-jet fuel yield of 29 % at 10 % MgO. Further, the temperature of 600 °C and a catalyst/sawdust ratio of 10 are identified as the optimal conditions. The nanosize of MgO and the synergism of acid and base sites seemed to enhance deoxygenation, via decarboxylation and decarbonylation, and oligomerization, which are required for jet fuel formation in high amounts from sawdust pyrolysis.

Improvement of the carbon yield from biomass carbonization through sulfuric acid pre-dehydration at room temperature

The pre-dehydration of a woody biomass waste (Douglas fir, DF) with 4.6-32 wt% of diluted sulfuric acid solutions was carried out mainly at room temperature aimed to improve the carbon yield from the thermal carbonization of pre-dehydrated biomass at 500 °C. By comparison (based on the raw DF), the pre-dehydration at room temperature increased the biochar yield and carbon retention up to about 32 wt% and 54%, respectively from that of about 22 wt% and 39% without pre-dehydration. When the pre-dehydration temperature increased to 90 °C, the biochar yield and carbon retention were sharply promoted to about 44 wt% and 76%, which was about two times higher than that of the biochar obtained without pre-treatment. This work for the first time proved the effectiveness of improving the carbon yield from lignocellulosic biomass via diluted sulfuric acid-assisted pre-dehydration at low or even room temperature.

An Overview on Co-Pyrolysis of Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Wastes

Continuous urbanization and modernization have increased the burning of fossil fuels to meet energy needs across the globe, emanating environmental pollution and depleting fossil fuels. Therefore, a shift towards sustainable and renewable energy is necessary. Several techniques to exploit biomass to yield energy are trending, with pyrolysis one of them. Usually, a single feedstock is employed in pyrolysis for anoxygenic generation of biochar together with bio-oil at elevated temperatures (350–600 °C). Bio-oil produced through pyrolysis can be upgraded to crude oil after some modification. However, these modifications of bio-oil are one of the major drawbacks for its large-scale adoption, as upgradation increases the overall cost. Therefore, in recent years the scientific community has been researching co-pyrolysis technology that involves the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass waste with non-biodegradable waste. Co-pyrolysis reduces the need for post-modification of bio-oil, unlike pyrolysis of a single feedstock. This review article discusses the recent advancements and technological challenges in waste biomass co-pyrolysis, the mechanism of co-pyrolysis, and factors that affect co-pyrolysis. The current study critically analyzes different recent research articles presented in databases such as PubMed, MDPI, ScienceDirect, Springer, etc. Hence, this review is one-of-a-kind in that it attempts to explain each and every aspect of the co-pyrolysis process and its current progress in the scientific field. Consequently, this review also compiles the remarkable achievements in co-pyrolysis and recommendations for the future.

Valorization of cow manure via hydrothermal carbonization for phosphorus recovery and adsorbents for water treatment

The increased quantities of manure being generated by livestock and their extensive agronomic use have raised concerns around run-off impacting soil and groundwater quality. Manure contains valuable nutrients (especially phosphorus) that are critical to agriculture, but when directly land-applied the run-off of such nutrients contributes to eutrophication of waterways. This study investigates the hydrothermal carbonization of cow manure at two industrially feasible process extremes: 190 °C, 1 h and 230 °C, 3 h, to concentrate and then recover phosphorus from the solid hydrochar via acid leaching and precipitation. Up to 98 wt% of phosphorus initially present in the hydrochar (88% in the raw manure) can be recovered, with the dominant crystalline species being hydroxyapatite. Acid leached hydrochars were subsequently pyrolyzed at 600 °C for 30 min, and then evaluated as adsorbent materials for water remediation by using methylene blue as a model adsorbate. Although pyrolyzed hydrochars have surface areas an order of magnitude higher (160-236 m²/g) than the non-pyrolyzed acid leached hydrochars (11-23 m²/g), their adsorption capacity is three times lower. Furthermore, while the higher carbonization temperature leads to greater recovery of phosphorus, it likewise leads to higher heavy metal concentrations in the precipitate (ranging from 0.1 to 100 mg_metal/g_ppt). As such, lower temperature carbonization followed by acid-extraction - without further solid processing - is a potential pathway to recover phosphorus and adsorbent materials.

Sulfonated Mesoporous Silica-Carbon Composite Derived from a Silicate-Polyethylene Glycol Gel and Its Application as Solid Acid Catalysts

Solid acid catalyst is a promising alternative to the counterpart homogeneous acid for esterification reaction from the viewpoint of reusability and environmental concerns. This work aims to develop sulfonated mesoporous silica-carbon composite as solid acid catalyst for the esterification. The catalyst was synthesized from sodium silicate as the silica precursor and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as both carbon precursor and template via a sol-gel route in an aqueous system. Then, it was carbonized to produce mesoporous silica-carbon composite. Using the proposed method, the surface area of the silica-carbon composite could reach as high as 1074.21 m2/g. Although the surface area decreased to 614.02 m²/g when it was functionalized with sulfonate groups, the composite had a high ionic capacity of 5.3 mEq/g and exhibited high catalytic activity for esterification reaction of acetic acid with ethanol. At a reaction temperature of 80 °C, the acetic acid conversion reached 76.55% in 4 h. In addition, the catalyst had good reusability, which can be comparable with the commercial catalyst Foltrol F-007. It appears that the sulfonated silica-carbon composite prepared from sodium silicate using PEG as the carbon source a promising candidate as catalyst for esterification and the related area. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). 

Conversion of Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Polymer into Activated Carbon and Its Feasibility to Produce Green Fuel

In this study, a novel idea was proposed to convert the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste drinking-water bottles into activated carbon (AC) to use for waste cooking oil (WCO) and palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) feasibility to convert into esters. The acidic and basic char were prepared by using the waste PET bottles. The physiochemical properties were determined by employing various analytical techniques, such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and temperature-programmed desorption – ammonia/carbon dioxide (TPD-NH₃/CO₂). The prepared PET H₃PO₄ and PET KOH showed the higher surface area, thus illustrating that the surface of both materials has enough space for impregnation of foreign precursors. The TPD-NH₃ and TPD-CO₂ results depicted that PET H₃PO₄ is found to have higher acidity, i.e., 18.17 mmolg⁻¹, due to the attachment of phosponyl groups to it during pretreatment, whereas, in the case of PET KOH, the basicity increases to 13.49 mmolg⁻¹. The conversion results show that prepared materials can be used as a support for an acidic and basic catalyst for the conversion of WCO and PFAD into green fuel.

Current understanding in conversion and application of tea waste biomass: A review

Along with the increasing consumption of tea and its extracts, the amount of tea waste grows rapidly, which not only results in huge biomass loss, but also increases environmental stress. In past years, interest has been attracted on utilization of tea waste biomass, and a lot of work has been carried out. This review summarized the progress in conversion of tea waste by thermo-chemical and biological technologies and analyzed the property of the derived products and their performance in applications. It was found that biochar derived from tea waste had relatively large surface area, porous structures, and abundant functional groups, and could be used as bio-adsorbents and catalysts and electrochemical energy storage, while the cost of its largescale production should be evaluated. Profoundly, biological conversion, including ensiling and composting, was suggested to be an effective way to develop the tea waste biomass in practice due to its low-cost and specific functions.

Biochar-driven simplification of the compositions of cellulose-pyrolysis-derived biocrude oil coupled with the promotion of hydrogen generation

The corn stover originated biochar was developed to catalyze and simplify the compositions of biocrude oil from cellulose pyrolysis. The generation of common species such as furans and (anhydro)-sugars in the biocrude oil from cellulose pyrolysis was weakened remarkably in the presence of biochars, while the formation of phenol and alkylphenols was enhanced. The formation of hydrogen was favored when the biochar was presented. For example at the temperature of 600 °C and biochar to cellulose ratio of 3, about 78 vol% of hydrogen was detected, increased from around 48 vol% for non-catalytic pyrolysis. Despite 10 cycles of reuse, the biochar remained a good activity towards promoting the generation of hydrogen and monomeric phenols. This work relates to a new access to simplify the compositions of biocrude oil and produce renewable hydrogen energy through the low-cost, simple, and highly stable biochar catalyst.

Catalytic upcycling of waste plastics over nanocellulose derived biochar catalyst for the coupling harvest of hydrogen and liquid fuels

A powerful simple biochar catalyst derived from nanocellulose was applied to the catalytic upcycling of waste plastics into H₂ and liquid fuels for the first time. For the results from model low-density polyethylene (LDPE) pyrolysis, the C₈-C₁₆ aliphatics and monocyclic aromatics were dominant constitutes of the liquid product with the yields ranging from 22 to 68 wt%. At the temperature of 500 °C and biochar to LDPE ratio surpassing 3, the LDPE could be completely degraded into liquid and gas without wax production. A wax yield of 16 wt% was observed at the temperature of 450 °C and biochar to LDPE ratio of 4, which was dramatically lower than that (77 wt%) from the absence of biochar at the temperature of 500 °C. Up to 92 vol% of H₂ was detected in the gaseous product with a yield of 36 wt%. The lower temperatures and higher biochar to LDPE ratios favored increasing the generation of H₂ at the expense of light gas C_nH_m especially CH₄. Moreover, this biochar catalyst was tested effectively to convert the real waste plastics including grocery bags and packaging tray into valuable liquid and H₂-enriched gas.

Activated carbon preparation from eucalyptus wood chips using continuous carbonization-steam activation process in a batch intermittent rotary kiln

The production of activated carbon from eucalyptus wood chips by steam activation in a 2000 kg batch intermittent rotary kiln with continuous carbonization-steam activation process conducted at 500 °C to 700 °C was studied. The activated carbon products were characterized by FTIR, SEM-EDS, Raman spectroscopy, and BET analysis. Percent yields, iodine number, and methylene blue number of the produced activated carbon materials were measured as well. It was shown that the percent yields of the activated carbon materials made in the temperature range from 500 to 700 °C are 21.63 ± 1.52%-31.79 ± 0.70% with capacities of 518-737 mg I₂/g and 70.11-96.93 mg methylene blue/g. The BET surface area and micropore volume of the activated carbons are 426.8125-870.4732 m²/g and 0.102390-0.215473 cm³/g, respectively. The steam used in the process could create various oxygen containing surface functional groups such as -CO and -COC groups. In addition, it could also increase the amorphous nature of the activated carbon product. These properties of the activated carbon products are increased with increasing steam activation temperature from 500 to 700 °C. As a result, the activated carbon materials produced at activation temperatures of 600 °C and 700 °C exhibit higher adsorption.

Enhanced adsorption of tetracycline by an iron and manganese oxides loaded biochar: Kinetics, mechanism and column adsorption

A Fe/Mn oxides loaded biochar (FeMn-BC) was prepared to enhance the adsorption of tetracycline (TC). γ-Fe₂O₃ and MnO₂ were assigned to the Fe and Mn oxides, respectively. The enhanced adsorption of TC was dominated by the loaded γ-Fe₂O₃ and MnO₂. According to Akaike-Information-Criteria evaluation, Elovich kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models could best describe the adsorption with a maximum capacity of 14.24 mg/g. During adsorption process, the γ-Fe₂O₃ and MnO₂ hydrolyzed into hydroxides (FeOOH and MnOOH) which acted as bases to complex with TC^2- ion under alkaline condition (pH = 11). After the adsorption, the concentrations of leached Fe and Mn could meet the requirements PRC standards GB13456-2012 and GB8978-1996, respectively. The FeMn-BC had ~24% on TC removal (initial concentration of 20 mg/L) after four-cycles regeneration. The FeMn-BC was also available for TC adsorptions in column tests and actual wastewater.

One-step synthesis of biomass-based sulfonated carbon catalyst by direct carbonization-sulfonation for organosolv delignification

Biomass-based sulfonated carbon catalyst (SCC) was prepared from corncob via direct sulfuric acid carbonization-sulfonation treatment. Central composite design was used to evaluate temperature and time for optimizing SCC yield and sulfonic acid (SO₃H) density. The SO₃H groups were successfully introduced to the SCC as evidenced by FTIR and sulfur analysis. Numerical optimization results showed that 100 °C and 5.78 h are the optimal conditions for maximizing yield (61.24%) and SO₃H density (1.1408 mmol/g). The highest ethanol organosolv lignin (EOL) yield of 63.56% with a substrate yield of 39.08% was achieved at 20% SCC loading in the ethanol organosolv delignification of lignocellulosic biomass. The FTIR spectra of the isolated lignin revealed typical features of G-lignin, indicating that no drastic changes took place in the lignin structure during the process. This study developed a simple one-step preparation method of SCC, which was successfully used as a catalyst in an organosolv delignification of biomass.

Integrated harvest of phenolic monomers and hydrogen through catalytic pyrolysis of biomass over nanocellulose derived biochar catalyst

The remarkable enhancement of phenolic monomer generation and hydrogen was achieved through catalytic pyrolysis of Douglas fir over nanocellulose derived biochar catalyst for the first time. The main compositions of produced bio-oil were phenolic monomers, furans, and naphthalenes, etc., in which the phenolic monomers were dominant compositions. And at the temperature of 650 °C and 3 of biochar to biomass ratio, the quantification results showed that the concentration of phenol was increased to 53.77 mg/mL from 15.76 mg/mL of free of biochar catalyst. The concentration of cresols were facilitated to 44.51 mg/mL from 20.95 mg/mL, while the concentration of dimethylphenols reduced to 7.76 mg/mL from 9.11 mg/mL. Up to 85.32 vol% of hydrogen was observed, increasing from 45.53 vol% of the non-catalytic process. After 15 cycles of reuse, biochar catalysts still favored to produce a much higher concentration of phenolic monomers and hydrogen than that of absence of biochar catalysts.

Application of a neural fuzzy model combined with simulated annealing algorithm to predict optimal conditions for polyethylene waste non-isothermal pyrolysis

In the present study, the waste polyethylene (PE) pyrolysis under different non-isothermal conditions was investigated to estimate the optimal conversions and pyrolysis rates. The pyrolysis study was carried out using Thermogravimetry (TG) of the virgin and the waste PE under different heating rates of 5, 10, 15 and 20 °C/min. The TG experiments indicated that the virgin and the waste PE pyrolysis processes mainly underwent in the temperature range of 390-510 °C. Subsequently, the adaptive neural fuzzy model was adopted to predict the conversions and the pyrolysis rates of the virgin and the waste PE. The optimal operating conditions in different temperature ranges were optimized by the simulated annealing algorithm (SA). Moreover, the R-squared values of the virgin PE conversions (~ 1) and pyrolysis rates (> 0.999), and the waste PE conversions (~ 1) and pyrolysis rates (> 0.999) revealed the high accuracy of the adaptive neural fuzzy model predicted results.

Enhanced P450 fatty acid decarboxylase catalysis by glucose oxidase coupling and co-assembly for biofuel generation

Cytochrome P450 OleT is a fatty acid decarboxylase that uses hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to catalyze the production of terminal alkenes, which are industrially important chemicals with biofuel and synthetic applications. Despite its requirement for large turnover levels, high concentrations of H₂O₂ may cause heme group degradation, diminishing enzymatic activity and limiting broad application for synthesis. Here, we report an artificial enzyme cascade composed of glucose oxidase (GOx) and OleT_SA from Staphylococcus aureus for efficient terminal alkene production. By adjusting the ratio of GOx to OleT_SA, the GOx-based tandem catalysis shows significantly improved product yield compared to the H₂O₂ injection method. Moreover, the co-assembly of the GOx/OleT_SA enzymes with a polymer, forming polymer-dual enzymes nanoparticles, displays improved activity compared to the free enzyme. This dual strategy provides a simple and efficient system to transform a naturally abundant feedstock to industrially important chemicals.

Slow pyrolysis of municipal solid waste (MSW): A review

In recent years, extensive studies have been carried out to improve our knowledge of the reactor operations and system performance in thermal pyrolysis of municipal solid wastes (MSW). However, the fundamentals of MSW pyrolysis and their engineering applications remain unsatisfactorily explored. This paper is a review of the pyrolysis of MSW and synergistic co-pyrolysis of the constituents of MSW with reference to pyrolytic performance, the distribution and energy content of the end products, and the mechanisms of the synergistic effects. The prospects for, and challenges of, the MSW pyrolysis process are provided. A MSW pyrolytic process with maximal energy recovery and minimal carbon footprint is proposed.

Recent advances in catalytic co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic waste for the production of petroleum-like hydrocarbons

The global economy is threatened by the depletion of fossil resources and fluctuations in fossil fuel prices, and thus it is necessary to exploit sustainable energy sources. Carbon-neutral fuels including bio-oil obtained from biomass pyrolysis can act as alternatives to fossil fuels. Co-pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass and plastic is efficient to upgrade the quality of bio-oil because plastic facilitates deoxygenation. However, catalysts are required to produce bio-oil that is suitable for potential use as transportation fuel. This review presents an overview of recent advances in catalytic co-pyrolysis of biomass and plastic from the perspective of chemistry, catalyst, and feedstock pretreatment. Additionally, this review introduces not only recent research results of acid catalysts for catalytic co-pyrolysis, but also recent approaches that utilize base catalysts. Future research directions are suggested for commercially feasible co-pyrolysis process.