Headlines:
- IIT Mandi researchers develop new catalyst for biomass conversion to biofuels
- Sulfonic acid functionalized niobium pentoxide shows promising results in biofuel precursor synthesis
- Green and sustainable synthesis of high carbon biofuel precursors achieved with new catalyst
Outcomes:
- Sulfonic acid functionalized niobium pentoxide (S-Nb2O5) has been developed for the synthesis of high-carbon biofuel precursors from low dense biomass derivatives
- Both Nb2O5 and S-Nb2O5 have been used for the solventless hydroxyalkylation-alkylation (HAA) reaction between 2-methylfuran and furfural to form C-15 products, which can be used as a precursor for biofuels
- S3-Nb2O5 with 5.87% atomic percent of S showed the best catalytic activity with a maximum yield of 87% for C-15 product at relatively low temperature (50 °C) under neat conditions
- Green metrics calculations have been performed to compare the sustainability and greenness of the reaction with various other catalysts
Bullet point summary:
- Sulfonic acid functionalized niobium pentoxide catalyst developed for high carbon biofuel precursor synthesis from biomass derivatives
- Solventless hydroxyalkylation-alkylation (HAA) reaction between 2-methylfuran and furfural used to form C-15 products
- S3-Nb2O5 with 5.87% atomic percent of S showed best catalytic activity with maximum yield of 87%
- Green metrics calculations performed to assess sustainability and greenness of the reaction
The researchers used a combination of Lewis and Brønsted acid catalysts in the form of sulfonic acid functionalized catalyst (S-Nb2O5) to perform the HAA reaction between 2-methylfuran and furfural. Variation in the amount of sulfonic group functionalization on the surface of Nb2O5 was performed, and S3-Nb2O5 with 5.87% atomic percent of S showed the best catalytic activity with a maximum yield of 87% for C-15 product at relatively low temperature (50 °C) under neat conditions. The green metrics calculations performed showed that the reaction was sustainable and green, making it a promising approach for the development of acid functionalized metal oxide-based catalysts for biomass conversion reactions aimed towards bioenergy. This work has potential for significant impact on the development of sustainable biofuels.
Nanoarchitectonics of niobium (V) oxide with grafted sulfonic acid groups for solventless conversion of biomass derivatives to high carbon biofuel precursors
Chhabra; Krishnan 2023
Full-text link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.127713
What this paper is about
- Zhang and co-workers have performed the HAA reaction with 2-MF and furfural by using formic acid, sulfuric acid and acetic acid as Brnsted homogeneous catalysts to form condensation C15 products.
- Nb 2 O 5 has been previously used in the biomass conversion reaction and as it is amenable to functionalization, it can be used as a catalyst for the synthesis of biofuel precursors.
- Both Nb 2 O 5 and sulfonic acid functionalized Nb 2 O 5 have been used for the reaction between 2-MF and furfural.
What you can learn
- The peak intensity of carbon is maximum in comparison to Nb which shows that the polymerized carbonaceous humin is present in high amount on the surface of recycled catalyst.
- Whereas, the percentage of Nb and S in the recycled S3.
- Raman and XPS data clearly confirm the presence of polymerized carbonaceous humin on the surface of the catalyst, which not only blocks the active acidic sites but also decreases the performance of the catalyst.
Core Q&A related to this research
- What is the focus of the research conducted by IIT Mandi researchers?
- The focus of the research is the development of sulfonic acid functionalized niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) for the synthesis of high dense carbon biofuel precursors from low dense biomass derivatives.
- What type of catalysts have been used in the HAA reaction for the synthesis of C-15 products?
- Both Brønsted homogeneous catalysts (formic acid, sulfuric acid, and acetic acid) and Lewis acid catalyst (niobium pentoxide) have been used in the HAA reaction for the synthesis of C-15 products.
- What is the best catalytic activity obtained in the research, and what is the yield percentage?
- S3-Nb2O5, having 5.87% atomic percent of S, shows the best catalytic activity with a maximum yield of 87% for C-15 product at relatively low temperature (50 °C) under neat conditions.
- What is the potential application of the C-15 product synthesized in this research?
- The C-15 product synthesized in this research can be used as a precursor for the synthesis of biofuels.
- What is the significance of the polymerized carbonaceous humin present on the surface of the recycled catalyst?
- The polymerized carbonaceous humin present on the surface of the recycled catalyst blocks the active acidic sites and decreases the performance of the catalyst.
Basic Q&A related to this research
What is sulfonic acid?
Answer: Sulfonic acid is an organic acid that contains a sulfur atom bonded to three oxygen atoms and a hydrogen atom. It is a strong acid and commonly used as a catalyst in organic reactions.
What is niobium pentoxide?
Answer: Niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) is a compound of niobium and oxygen. It is an amphoteric oxide and can act as both an acidic and a basic catalyst in chemical reactions.
What is a Lewis acid catalyst?
Answer: A Lewis acid catalyst is a type of catalyst that can accept an electron pair from a donor molecule, thereby facilitating a chemical reaction. In the context of the above data, niobium pentoxide is a Lewis acid catalyst.
What is a Brønsted acid catalyst?
Answer: A Brønsted acid catalyst is a type of catalyst that can donate a proton (H+) to a reactant molecule, thereby facilitating a chemical reaction. In the context of the above data, sulfonic acid functionalized niobium pentoxide (S-Nb2O5) is a combination of a Lewis and Brønsted acid catalyst.
What is structural modification?
Answer: Structural modification refers to the alteration of the molecular or atomic structure of a material, such as a catalyst, in order to improve its properties or performance. In the context of the above data, the structural modification of niobium pentoxide after treatment with sulfuric acid has been discussed.
What is sulfuric acid?
Answer: Sulfuric acid is a strong acid that is commonly used in chemical reactions and industrial processes. In the context of the above data, sulfuric acid has been used to treat niobium pentoxide in order to modify its structure and properties.
What is hydroxyalkylation-alkylation (HAA) reaction?
Answer: Hydroxyalkylation-alkylation (HAA) reaction is a chemical reaction in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is added to an alkyl group (-R) in the presence of a catalyst, such as niobium pentoxide, to form a new compound. In the context of the above data, HAA reaction has been performed between 2-methylfuran and furfural to form a C-15 product.
What is 2-methylfuran and furfural?
Answer: 2-methylfuran and furfural are biomass derivatives that can be used as a source of biofuels. In the context of the above data, they have been used as reactants in the HAA reaction to form a C-15 product.
What is C-15 product?
Answer: C-15 product is a compound that is formed by the HAA reaction between 2-methylfuran and furfural in the presence of a catalyst, such as niobium pentoxide or sulfonic acid functionalized niobium pentoxide. It can be used as a precursor for the synthesis of biofuels.
What are biofuels?
Answer: Biofuels are fuels that are derived from renewable biomass sources, such as plant materials and organic wastes. In the context of the above data, C-15 product can be used as a precursor for the synthesis of biofuels.
What is sulfonic group functionalization?
Answer: Sulfonic group functionalization refers to the addition of sulfonic acid groups (-SO3H) to a material, such as niobium pentoxide, in order to improve its catalytic activity. In the context of the above data, different amounts of sulfonic group functionalization have been performed on niobium pentoxide to optimize its performance
