(415f) Bifunctional Catalysts With Improved Hydrothermal Stability for the Hydrolytic Hydrogenation of Cellulose | AIChE

(415f) Bifunctional Catalysts With Improved Hydrothermal Stability for the Hydrolytic Hydrogenation of Cellulose

Authors 

Galloza-Lorenzo, D. Z. - Presenter, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
Contreras-Mora, J. L., University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
Méndez-Román, R., University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez
Cardona Martinez, N., University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez



The production of glucose and/or sorbitol from the hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose, offers the potential to be used as a renewable feedstock in a biorefinery for the production of fuels and value added chemicals. Here we report the results of the study of the effect of cellulose crystallinity, cellulose/catalyst ratio, reaction temperature and reaction time on the catalytic performance for the conversion of cellulose into sorbitol.  We studied a series of single, binary and ternary metal oxide supports with a range of surface acidity and phosphated niobic acid.  Ru was supported using evaporative deposition on the supports.  The catalytic materials were characterized using nitrogen adsorption, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).  Ruthenium supported on NbOPO4 displayed the best catalytic performance with hexitols yields of about 45% at 100% cellulose conversion.  All materials suffer a decrease in their surface areas after treatment in hot water.  However, treating Ru/NbOPO4 in water at 210°C and 230 °C and 35 bar H2 for 24 h or 48 h caused a slight decrease in cellulose conversion, but a significant increase in hexitol and hydrogenolysis products yield.  Ru/Nb2O5 (HY 340) and the equivalent amount of phosphoric acid present in Ru/NbOPO4 give essentially the same conversion as Ru/NbOPO4 but a lower yield to sugar alcohols and a higher yield to hydrogenolysis products.  Decreasing cellulose crystallinity and cellulose/catalyst ratio, increases the cellulose conversion and hexitols yield for Ru/NbOPO4.

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