Carbon Solid Acid Catalyst for Recoverable Biomass Hydrothermal Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solid acid catalysts face challenges in large-scale industrial application due to high costs, catalyst deactivation, and limited activity, especially in hydrothermal decomposition of biomass, where traditional liquid catalysts are difficult to recover and produce numerous by-products.
Innovation Solution
A carbon-based solid acid catalyst is prepared using pectin rich in active groups as a precursor and an ionic resin with an aromatic ring matrix, subjected to pyrolysis and sulfonation to enhance catalytic performance, allowing for the hydrothermal conversion of biomass into high-value platform compounds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional liquid acidic catalysts are used, then catalytic activity is high, but equipment corrosion is severe and catalyst recovery is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces liquid acidic catalysts with a solid carbon-based catalyst that has acidic groups grafted onto its surface. This substitution eliminates the harmful liquid phase, preventing equipment corrosion while maintaining catalytic activity through the solid catalyst's acidic functional groups.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite catalyst by grafting acidic groups onto a carbon-based support structure. This composite approach combines the stability of carbon materials with the catalytic functionality of acidic groups, achieving both high catalytic activity and resistance to equipment corrosion.
2Reliability
If traditional liquid acidic catalysts are used, then catalytic activity is high, but catalyst recovery and reuse are difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes liquid catalysts with a solid catalyst form, enabling easy separation and recovery through simple filtration or decantation processes. The solid carbon-based catalyst can be readily recovered from the reaction mixture and reused, eliminating the recovery difficulties associated with liquid catalysts.
3Reliability
If metal catalysts are used, then catalytic performance is good, but raw material cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a carbon-based catalyst that is significantly cheaper than precious metal catalysts. The carbon support and grafted acidic groups provide sufficient catalytic performance at a fraction of the cost, making the catalyst economically viable for large-scale industrial applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the catalyst material from expensive metals to carbon-based materials with grafted acidic groups. This parameter change in catalyst composition maintains catalytic performance while dramatically reducing raw material costs.
4Reliability
If fine powder catalysts are used, then catalytic activity is high, but catalyst loss during recovery is high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a carbon-based catalyst with a porous structure that provides high surface area and catalytic activity. The porous carbon matrix supports the acidic groups while maintaining a form factor that prevents fine powder loss during recovery operations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The catalyst achieves high furfural yields of up to 85 mol% under mild conditions, with a recovery rate of nearly 90%, and is suitable for various reaction parameters, making it suitable for large-scale production.
Implementation Method 1
subjected to pyrolysis and sulfonation to enhance catalytic performance
Implementation Method 2
subjected to pyrolysis and sulfonation with concentrated sulfuric acid to obtain the carbon-based solid acid catalyst
Implementation Method 3
The prepared catalyst can be effectively used for common hydrothermal decomposition catalytic reactions of biomass to produce valuable platform compounds
Data Source
AI summary
A carbon-based solid acid catalyst, a preparation method of the catalyst, and a method to use the catalyst for hydrothermal conversion of biomass are provided. The preparation method of the carbon-based solid acid catalyst includes the following steps: S1. mixing pectin with water, adding concentrated sulfuric acid for activation, and adding a resulting mixture to an ionic resin with an aromatic ring matrix; S2. drying a material obtained in S1, crushing a dried material into a powder, and subjecting the powder to pyrolysis in a dry inert gas; S3. subjecting a solid obtained after the pyrolysis to sulfonation with concentrated sulfuric acid; S4. diluting a material obtained in S3 with water, filtering a resulting mixture, and washing a resulting filter residue with water until no sulfate ions are detected in washing water; S5. drying the filter residue.