Use of amorphous Nb2O5 and Nb2O5/Al2O3 as acid catalysts for the dehydration of xylose to furfural

Author(s)

de Lima, Leticia Franzo ^[1] ; Lima, Julia Leticia Montanari ^[1] ; Jorqueira, Diogo Silva Sanches ^[1] ; Landers, Richard ^[2] ; Moya, Silvia Fernanda ^[1] ; Suppino, Raphael Soeiro ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Sch Chem Engn, Dept Proc Engn, 500 Albert Einstein Ave, BR-13083852 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Gleb Wataghin Inst Phys, Dept Appl Phys, 777 Sergio Buarque de Holanda St, BR-13083859 Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Reaction Kinetics Mechanisms and Catalysis; v. 132, n. 1 JAN 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

This work compared the catalytic performance of the amorphous Nb2O5 (NB) and 12 wt% Nb2O5/Al2O3 (NB-AL) catalysts for the xylose dehydration to furfural carried out for 6 h at 140 and 160 degrees C using water or a 1:0.8 (v/v) water/isopropanol mixture as solvents. The solids were characterized by XRD, N-2 adsorption, TGA, XPS, TPD-NH3 and FTIR-Pyridine. Results indicated a specific surface area of 144 and 108 m(2)/g and an average pore diameter of 44 and 76 angstrom to NB and NB-AL respectively. The solids presented similar density of acid sites (6.0 for NB and 5.7 mu molNH(3)/m(2) for NB-AL), but different strength distribution of the acid sites. Moreover, the fraction of Bronsted acid sites on NB was 27%, whereas on NB-AL it was only 2%. Concerning the catalytic tests, the highest conversion of xylose for NB and NB-AL (99.0 and 91.1%, respectively) was achieved for the reactions at 160 degrees C in water/isopropanol mixture, whilst the highest selectivities to furfural were obtained in reactions with water at 160 degrees C (60.1% to NB and 35.1% to NB-AL). Finally, using water as solvent, the selectivity to furfural increased with both catalysts at the highest temperature, though the carbon balance decreased. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/20630-4 - Biorefinery development integrated to a bioethanol sugar cane plant with zero CO2 emission: routes to convert renewable resources to bio-products and bio-electricity
• Grantee: Rubens Maciel Filho
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 18/20532-0 - Use of niobium-based catalysts for dehydration of xylose to furfural in liquid phase: effects of reaction conditions on catalyst performance
• Grantee: Julia Letícia Montanari Lima
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation