abstract
Acid catalysis plays an important role in biomass conversion processes for producing chemicals and fuels. We report a relatively simple procedure for synthesizing versatile, strong acid catalysts based on carbon and carbon silica composites with sulfonic acid groups. The process involves chemical activation of a sulfonic acid organic precursor at low temperature. The synthesis conditions can be modified to tune the surface composition, texture, and the acid properties of the materials towards superior catalytic performances. Molecular level insights into the nature and strength of the acid sites were gained by combining high resolution XPS and H-1-decoupled P-31 MAS NMR spectroscopy of adsorbed triethylphosphine oxide. These materials are effective acid catalysts for the conversion of different biomass-derived chemicals to useful bio products such as furanic ethers and levulinate esters.
keywords
AMORPHOUS-CARBON; MESOPOROUS SILICA; ETHYL LEVULINATE; FURFURYL ALCOHOL; HYDROTHERMAL CARBONIZATION; CHEMICAL ACTIVATION; PROTONIC ACID; BIODIESEL; ETHERIFICATION; CELLULOSE
subject category
Chemistry; Energy & Fuels; Materials Science
authors
Russo, PA; Antunes, MM; Neves, P; Wiper, PV; Fazio, E; Neri, F; Barreca, F; Mafra, L; Pillinger, M; Pinna, N; Valente, AA
our authors
Anabela Tavares Aguiar Valente
Principal Researcher
Luís Mafra
Principal Researcher
Maria Margarida Feitor Pintão Moreno Antunes
Junior Researcher
Martyn Pillinger
Principal Researcher
Patrícia Alexandra Ferreira Russo
Post-doc Fellowship
Patrícia dos Santos Neves
Assistant Researcher
Paul Vincent Wiper
Post-doc Fellowshipacknowledgements
We are grateful to the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) and FEDER for general funding, and to CICECO - FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-037271 (FCT ref. PEst-/CTM/LA0011/2013). The FCT and the European Union are acknowledged for grants to M.M.A. (SFRH/BPD/89068/2012), P.A.R. (SFRH/BPD/79910/2011) and P.N. (SFRH/BPD/73540/2010) cofunded by MCTES and the ESF through the program POPH of QREN. We acknowledge the Portuguese National NMR Network (RNRMN), supported with funds from the FCT. BP Amoco Chemical Company is acknowledged for sponsoring P.V.W.'s postdoc grant. L.M. thanks the FCT for the FCT Investigator consolidation grant IF/01401/2013.