Furfural production in a biphasic system using a carbonaceous solid acid catalyst

Gomez Millan, Gerardo; Phiri, Josphat; Makela, Mikko; Maloney, Thad; Balu, Alina M.; Pineda, Antonio; Llorca, Jordi; Sixta, Herbert

doi:10.1016/j.apcata.2019.117180

Abstract

The formation of furfural from xylose was investigated under heterogeneously catalyzed conditions with Starbon (R) 450-SO3H as a catalyst in a biphasic system. Experiments were performed based on a statistical experimental design. The variables considered were time and temperature. Starbon (R) 450-SO3H was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, N-2-physisorption, thermogravimetric analysis, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform, Raman spectroscopy, pyridine titration and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicate that sulfonated Starbon (R) 450-SO3H can be an effective solid acid catalyst for furfural formation. A maximum furfural yield and selectivity of 70 mol% was achieved at complete xylose conversion under optimum experimental conditions. The present paper suggests that functionalized Starbon (R) 450-SO3H can be employed as an efficient solid acid catalyst that has significant hydrothermal stability and can be reused for several cycles to produce furfural from xylose.

Keywords

Xylose; Furfural; Carbonized starch; Cyclopentyl methyl ether; Heterogeneous catalysis; Biorefinery

Published in

Applied Catalysis A: General
2019, volume: 585, article number: 117180
Publisher: ELSEVIER

SLU Authors

Mäkelä, Mikko
- Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Aalto University

UKÄ Subject classification

Chemical Engineering

Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcata.2019.117180

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/101968