One-pot synthesis of ethylbenzene/1-phenylethanol and γ-butyrolactone from simultaneous acetophenone hydrogenation and 1,4-butanediol dehydrogenation over copper based catalysts: effects of the support

The effect of the support in the simultaneous hydrogenation of acetophenone and dehydrogenation of 1,4-butanediol was studied using supported (MgO, γ-Al₂O₃, MgO–Al₂O₃ and SiO₂) copper (10 wt%) catalysts, prepared via impregnation.

Unusual effect of cobalt on Cu–MgO catalyst for the synthesis of γ-butyrolactone and aniline via coupling reaction

Addition of cobalt to Cu–MgO catalyst elevated the yields of γ-butyrolactone and aniline significantly from 1,4-butanediol and nitrobenzene via hydrogenation and dehydrogenation coupling process.

Enhancement of aromatics from catalytic pyrolysis of yellow poplar: Role of hydrogen and methane decomposition

The present study examined the effects of the pyrolysis environment on BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) production in the catalytic upgrading of yellow poplar pyrolysis vapors. Three different gas environments, N₂, CH₄, and pre-decomposed CH₄ stream (10 wt%-Ni/5 wt%-La₂O₃-5 wt% CeO₂-Al₂O₃), which is a mixture of H₂ (55.62%) and CH₄, were studied using two types of zeolite catalysts, HZSM-5, and 1 wt% Ga/HZSM-5. The BTEX yields were enhanced linearly in the order N₂ < CH₄ < CH₄ ex-situ decomposition. The highest BTEX yield of 9.58 wt% was obtained under the CH₄ ex-situ decomposition environment over 1 wt% Ga/HZSM-5. The methane and hydrocarbons derived from biomass were activated on highly dispersed (GaO)⁺ sites and transformed smoothly to BTEX by aromatization on the BrØnsted acid sites of Ga/HZSM-5. The hydrogen produced from methane decomposition also assisted in aromatics production through the hydrodeoxygenation of methoxyphenols, guaiacols and catechols.

Acid-treated waste red mud as an efficient catalyst for catalytic fast copyrolysis of lignin and polyproylene and ozone-catalytic conversion of toluene

In this study, red mud (RM), a highly alkaline waste generated from alumina production industries, was used as a catalytic material for both fast copyrolysis of organosolv lignin (OL) and polypropylene (PP) and toluene removal under ozone at room temperature. The RM was pretreated with HCl to investigate the effect of alkalinity. In the catalytic fast copyrolysis of the OL and PP, the acid-treated RM (HRM) produced more aromatics, phenolics, and light olefins (C₃ to C₅) but less oxygenates and heavy olefins (C₆ to C₄₆) than the RM. The difference in pyrolytic performance between the RM and HRM was likely attributed to the concentrated Fe₂O₃ species in the HRM catalyst. In addition, more efficient toluene removal was observed over MnO_x/HRM than over MnO_x/RM owing to the large Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, high amounts of Al and Fe, and optimal Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺ ratio. This study demonstrates that the RM, an industrial waste, can be reused as an effective catalytic material for not only biofuel production but also pollutant removal.

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.