Activity of microporous lignin-derived carbon-based solid catalysts used in biodiesel production

Synthesis of Sustainable Lignin Precursors for Hierarchical Porous Carbons and Their Efficient Performance in Energy Storage Applications

Lignin-derived porous carbons have great potential for energy storage applications. However, their traditional synthesis requires highly corrosive activating agents in order to produce porous structures. In this work, an environmentally friendly and unique method has been developed for preparing lignin-based 3D spherical porous carbons (LSPCs). Dropwise injection of a lignin solution containing PVA sacrificial templates into liquid nitrogen produces tiny spheres that are lyophilized and carbonized to produce LSPCs. Most of the synthesized samples possess excellent specific surface areas (426.6-790.5 m2/g) along with hierarchical micro- and mesoporous morphologies. When tested in supercapacitor applications, LSPC-28 demonstrates a superior specific capacitance of 102.3 F/g at 0.5 A/g, excellent rate capability with 70.3% capacitance retention at 20 A/g, and a commendable energy density of 2.1 Wh/kg at 250 W/kg. These materials (LSPC-46) also show promising performance as an anode material in sodium-ion batteries with high reversible capacity (110 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1), high Coulombic efficiency, and excellent cycling stability. This novel and green technique is anticipated to facilitate the scalability of lignin-based porous carbons and open a range of research opportunities for energy storage applications.

Insights into Preparation Methods and Functions of Carbon-Based Solid Acids

With the growing emphasis on green chemistry and the ecological environment, researchers are increasingly paying attention to greening materials through the use of carbon-based solid acids. The diverse characteristics of carbon-based solid acids can be produced through different preparation conditions and modification methods. This paper presents a comprehensive summary of the current research progress on carbon-based solid acids, encompassing common carbonization methods, such as one-step, two-step, hydrothermal, and template methods. The composition of carbon source material may be the main factor affecting its carbonization method and carbonization temperature. Additionally, acidification types including sulfonating agent, phosphoric acid, heteropoly acid, and nitric acid are explored. Furthermore, the functions of carbon-based solid acids in esterification, hydrolysis, condensation, and alkylation are thoroughly analyzed. This study concludes by addressing the existing drawbacks and outlining potential future development prospects for carbon-based solid acids in the context of their important role in sustainable chemistry and environmental preservation.

Effects of direct sulfonation on the catalytic activity and recyclability of novel lignin-based solid acid catalysts from agri-food waste

Catalytic systems derived from lignin are emerging as quite efficient and profitable materials in many catalyzed transformations. However, these catalysts have been predominantly synthesized by carbonization. Alternatively, we prepared direct sulfonation lignin (DSL) and compared it to the carbonized-sulfonated lignin (CSL) catalyst, aiming to reveal the effects of direct functionalization of lignin on its catalytic performance and to simplify its preparation. Both catalysts were well characterized by several physicochemical techniques, and their catalytic activities were assessed by catalyzed esterification. Using CSL, the yield reached 94.11 % under the optimal conditions (60 °C, 4 h and 50 mg loading), while DSL yielded 93.97 % with only 2 h under the same conditions, which is attributed to the abundant catalytic active sites in DSL (0.62 mmol/g of SO₃H against 0.39 mmol/g for CSL). Furthermore, the activation energies were found to be 21 and 16 kJ mol^-1 for CSL and DSL, respectively, suggesting that esterification can occur with less energy input using DSL. Reusability showed that leaching of SO₃H groups and mass loss are inherently responsible for deactivation. However, both lignin-based catalysts show good stability and can be reused for 4 successive cycles. Direct lignin functionalization can be an alternative to conventional catalyst processing.

Preparation of Activated Carbon-Based Solid Sulfonic Acid and Its Catalytic Performance in Biodiesel Preparation

With activated carbon as raw material, AC-Ph-SO₃H was prepared after oxidation with nitric acid, modification with halogenated benzene and sulfonation with concentrated sulfuric acid. After modified by 10% bromobenzene with toluene as a solvent for 5 h, followed sulfonation with concentrated sulfuric acid at 150°C, the -SO₃H content of prepared AC-Ph-SO₃H was 0.64 mmol/g. Acid content test, infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy detection proved that the surface of AC-Ph-SO₃H was successfully grafted with -SO₃H group. When used as a catalyst for the methylation of palmitate acid, the catalytic performance of AC-Ph-SO₃H was explored. When the reaction time was 6 h, the amount of catalyst acid accounted for 2.5 wt% of palmitic acid, and the molar ratio of methanol/palmitic acid was 40, the esterification rate of palmitic acid was 95.2% and the yield of methyl palmitate was 94.2%, which was much better than those of its precursors AC, AC-O, and AC-Ph (both about 4.5%). AC-Ph-SO₃H exhibited certain stability in the esterification reaction system and the conversion rate of palmitic acid was still above 80% after three reuses.

Sulfonated carbons from agro-industrial residues: simple and efficient catalysts for the Biginelli reaction

An eco-friendly catalyst prepared from rice husk was used to synthesize dihydropyrimidinones (DHPMs) and achieved a yield of 92%.

Synthesis of lignin-carbohydrate complex-based catalyst from Eragrostis tef straw and its catalytic performance in xylose dehydration to furfural

A new catalyst was successfully prepared by functionalization of the lignin-carbohydrate complex structure in the Eragrostis tef straw via simultaneous carbonization and sulfonation. The physical and chemical properties of the surface of the synthesized catalyst were checked by FTIR and XRD. The FTIR results indicate the prepared catalyst exhibited functional groups such as -SO₃H, -COOH, and -OH. The synthesis conditions like the temperature and time of carbonization and sulfonation showed significant effect the amount of the strong acid doped into the carbonized lignin-carbohydrate matrix. The newly prepared catalyst was checked for dehydration of xylose to furfural and revealed of course that it has the potential. The maximum yield of furfural 62.4% was achieved and the catalyst showed excellent reusability for 5 runs without significant loss of catalystic activity. The use of catalysts prepared from Eragrostis tef straw is a green strategy for converting xylose to furfural, as these catalysts are solving the problems associated with the use of mineral acid catalysts.