A green method to increase yield and quality of bio-oil: ultrasonic pretreatment of biomass and catalytic upgrading of bio-oil over metal (Cu, Fe and/or Zn)/γ-Al2O3. Issue 101 (1st October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 5:Issue 101(2015)
• Page Start: 83494
• Page End: 83503
• Publication Date: 2015-10-01
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c5ra14609g
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : A green method is developed to increase the yield and quality of bio-oil by ultrasonic pretreatment of biomass followed by in situ catalytic upgrading of bio-oil over metal (Cu, Fe and/or Zn)/γ-Al2 O3 . Abstract : A green method is developed to increase the yield and quality of bio-oil by ultrasonic pretreatment of biomass followed by in situ catalytic upgrading of bio-oil over metal (Cu, Fe and/or Zn)/γ-Al2 O3 . It is found that the yield of bio-oil is increased up to 10 wt% after cedar is pretreated by ultrasound before pyrolysis. Various metals (Cu, Fe and Zn) are loaded on γ-Al2 O3 and applied for upgrading the bio-oil derived from the pyrolysis of pretreated cedar. It is found that the catalysts promote the conversion of oxygenated compounds into aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. In particular, production of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and toluene is favored. The best catalytic activity is achieved by using 2.5 wt% Zn/γ-Al2 O3 with a maximum hydrocarbon yield of 80.3%. The catalyst is reused for up to four cycles. The results show that the catalysts after regeneration by calcination at 550 °C for 30 min exhibit long-term stability for upgrading of bio-oil.