Obtaining lignocellulosic biomass-based catalysts and their catalytic activity in cellobiose hydrolysis and acetic acid esterification reactions
Global challenges prompt the world to modify its strategies and shift from a fossil-fuel-based economy to a bio-resource-based one with the production of renewable biomass chemicals. Different processes exist that allow the transformation of raw biomass into desirable bio-based products and/or energy. In this work different biochars that were obtained as a by-product from birch chip fast pyrolysis and carbonization were used as is or chemically/physically treated. These sulfonated carbon catalysts were compared to a commercially available sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene macroreticular resin (Dowex 50W X8). Characterisation (water content and pH value, FTIR, base titration, element analysi…
Catalytic Activity of Char Obtained from Fast Pyrolysis in Esterification Reactions
In this study different pathways for obtaining activated carbon with catalytical activity were analysed. Industrially fast pyrolysis is an efficient way of lignocellulosic biomass processing, since in this process various important high value chemicals are obtained. Biochar is obtained as the by-product in fast pyrolysis process from which activated carbon can be acquired with further chemical activation. Different methods for chemical activation of biochar were tested with the obtained activated charcoals being used as a catalyst in esterification reactions to evaluate their potential use as a heterogenic catalyst. Highest catalytical activity was observed when biochar was pre-treated with…