A team of researchers led by Zhang and co-workers has developed an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for producing biodiesel precursors through the solventless conversion of biomass derivatives. The research work has been published in the journal Fuel under the title “Nanoarchitectonics of niobium (V) oxide with grafted sulfonic acid groups for solventless conversion of biomass derivatives to high carbon biofuel precursors.”
Outcomes:
• Efficient heterogeneous catalyst developed for the production of biodiesel precursors
• Sulfonic acid functionalized Nb2O5 catalysts showed the best performance
• The green metrics concept was used to compare the efficiency of different catalysts
• S3-Nb2O5 was found to be the most sustainable and environment-friendly catalyst
The researchers synthesized a series of sulfonic acid functionalized Nb2O5 catalysts for the HAA (heterogeneous acid-assisted) reaction between 2-methylfuran (2-MF) and furfural, with various acidic catalysts. The morphology of the catalysts was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectra confirmed the presence of polymerized carbonaceous humin on the surface of the catalyst, which decreased the performance of the catalyst.
The best catalytic activity was obtained with the best catalyst, i.e., S3-Nb2O5, which showed a yield of 93.07% under the same reaction conditions. The green metrics concept was used to compare the efficiency of all the catalysts. It was found that S3-Nb2O5 is the most sustainable and environment-friendly catalyst compared to the other investigated catalysts from an industry point of view.
The research reports an efficiently heterogeneous catalyst with both Lewis and Brønsted acidic properties for the production of biodiesel precursor. The detailed solid-state characterization of Nb2O5 and functionalized Nb2O5 has been performed by using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Bare and sulfonic acid functionalized Nb2O5 catalysts have been utilized to synthesize biofuel precursors through HAA reaction between 2-MF and furfural.
In conclusion, the research has presented an efficient, green, and sustainable method for producing biodiesel precursors. The sulfonic acid functionalized Nb2O5 catalysts have shown the best performance, and S3-Nb2O5 has been identified as the most sustainable and environment-friendly catalyst. This research work can potentially contribute to developing a cleaner and greener energy system.
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 catalyst’s surface, which not only blocks the active acidic sites but also decreases the catalyst’s performance.
Core Q&A related to this research.
- What is the focus of the research reported in this paper?
- This research focuses on synthesizing sulfonic acid functionalized Nb2O5 catalysts for the HAA reaction between 2-methylfuran and furfural to produce high-carbon biofuel precursors.
- How was the morphology of the catalysts studied?
- The morphology of the catalysts was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM).
- What does the XPS and Raman spectra confirm?
- The XPS and Raman spectra confirm the presence of polymerized carbonaceous humin on the surface of the catalyst.
- Which catalyst showed the best catalytic activity?
- The best catalytic activity was obtained with the S3-Nb2 catalyst.
- What was the yield of the product obtained under the same reaction conditions?
- The yield of the product was found to be 93.07% under the same reaction conditions.
- What is the green metrics concept used for?
- The green metrics concept is used to compare the efficiency of all the catalysts in terms of their sustainability and environmental friendliness from an industry point of view.
- What was the most sustainable and environment-friendly catalyst?
- S3-Nb2O5 was found to be the most sustainable and environment-friendly catalyst.
Basics Q&A related to this research
What is HAA reaction?
HAA stands for Hydroxyalkylation/Aldol condensation reaction, which is a chemical reaction between a furan derivative and an aldehyde or ketone.
What is 2-methylfuran?
2-methylfuran is a furan derivative and a biomass-derived platform chemical that can be used as a building block for the production of various chemicals and biofuels.
What is furfural?
Furfural is an organic compound derived from furan, which is used as a solvent, flavoring agent, and a building block for the production of various chemicals and biofuels.
What is polymerized carbonaceous humin?
Polymerized carbonaceous humin is a black, insoluble solid that is formed on the surface of catalysts during the HAA reaction, which can block the active acidic sites and decrease the performance of the catalyst.
What are Lewis acidic sites?
Lewis acidic sites are electron-poor species that can accept electron pairs from Lewis bases, which are important for catalytic reactions.
What are Brønsted acidic properties?
Brønsted acidic properties are the ability of a substance to donate a proton to another substance, which is important for catalytic reactions.
What are biofuel precursors?
Biofuel precursors are intermediate compounds that can be converted into biofuels through various chemical reactions.
What is C-15 product?
C-15 product is a condensation product of 2-methylfuran and furfural, which has 15 carbon atoms and can be used as a building block for the production of various chemicals and biofuels.
What is the green metrics concept?
The green metrics concept is a method to evaluate the environmental impact and sustainability of a chemical process or product.
What is an environment-friendly catalyst?
An environment-friendly catalyst is a catalyst that has a minimal environmental impact and is sustainable in terms of resource utilization, energy consumption, and waste generation.
