Direct and efficient conversion of cellulose to levulinic acid catalyzed by carbon foam-supported heteropolyacid with Brønsted-Lewis dual-acidic sites

Xiaofen Xu; Beiling Liang; Ying Zhu; Jiashuo Chen; Tao Gan; Huayu Hu; Yanjuan Zhang; Zuqiang Huang; Yuben Qin

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129600

Direct and efficient conversion of cellulose to levulinic acid catalyzed by carbon foam-supported heteropolyacid with Brønsted-Lewis dual-acidic sites

Bioresour Technol. 2023 Nov:387:129600. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129600. Epub 2023 Aug 1.

Authors

Xiaofen Xu¹, Beiling Liang¹, Ying Zhu¹, Jiashuo Chen¹, Tao Gan², Huayu Hu², Yanjuan Zhang³, Zuqiang Huang², Yuben Qin¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
² School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Key Laboratory of New Low-carbon Green Chemical Technology, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530004, China.
³ School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China; Key Laboratory of New Low-carbon Green Chemical Technology, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530004, China. Electronic address: zhangyj@gxu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37532058
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129600

Abstract

This study aimed to produce bio-based levulinic acid (LA) via direct and efficient conversion of cellulose catalyzed by a sustainable solid acid. A carbon foam (CF)-supported aluminotungstic acid (HAlW/CF) catalyst with Brønsted-Lewis dual-acidic sites was creatively engineered by a hydrothermal impregnation method. The activity of the HAlW/CF catalyst was determined via the hydrolysis and conversion of cellulose to prepare LA in aqueous system. The cooperative effect of Brønsted and Lewis acids in HAlW/CF resulted in high cellulose conversion (89.4%) and LA yield (60.9%) at 180 °C for 4 h, which were greater than the combined catalytic efficiencies of single HAlW and CF under the same conditions. The HAlW/CF catalyst in block form exhibited superior catalytic activity, facile separation from reaction system, and favorable reusability. This work offers novel perspectives for the development of recyclable dual-acidic catalysts to achieve one-pot catalytic conversion of biomass to value-added chemicals.

Keywords: Bio-based chemicals; Catalytic conversion; Cellulosic biomass; Dual-acidic catalyst; Solid acid.

MeSH terms

Carbon
Catalysis
Cellulose*
Levulinic Acids
Lewis Acids*

Substances

Cellulose
Lewis Acids
Carbon
levulinic acid
Levulinic Acids