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Pyrolysis of the Cellulose Fraction of Biomass in the Presence of Solid Acid Catalysts: An Operando Spectroscopy and Theoretical Investigation
Author(s) -
Keturakis Christopher J.,
Lapina Olga B.,
Shubin Aleksandr A.,
Terskikh Victor V.,
Papulovskiy Evgeniy,
Yudaev Ivan V.,
Paukshtis Eugenii A.,
Wachs Israel E.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201802073
Subject(s) - pyrolysis , biomass (ecology) , catalysis , cellulose , chemistry , selectivity , chemical engineering , raw material , infrared spectroscopy , spectroscopy , hydrocarbon , raman spectroscopy , organic chemistry , inorganic chemistry , materials science , optics , quantum mechanics , engineering , geology , oceanography , physics
Biomass pyrolysis by solid acid catalysts is one of many promising technologies for sustainable production of hydrocarbon liquid fuels and value‐added chemicals, but these complex chemical transformations are still poorly understood. A series of well‐defined model SiO 2 ‐supported alumina catalysts were synthesized and molecularly characterized, under dehydrated conditions and during biomass pyrolysis, with the aim of establishing fundamental catalyst structure–activity/selectivity relationships. The nature and corresponding acidity of the supported AlO x nanostructures on SiO 2 were determined with 27 Al/ 1 H NMR and IR spectroscopy of chemisorbed CO, and DFT calculations. Operando time‐resolved IR–Raman–MS spectroscopy studies revealed the molecular transformations taking place during biomass pyrolysis. The molecular transformations during biomass pyrolysis depended on both the domain size of the AlO x cluster and molecular nature of the biomass feedstock. These new insights allowed the establishment of fundamental structure–activity/selectivity relationships during biomass pyrolysis.