Selective Cellulose Hydrogenolysis to Ethanol Using Ni@C Combined with Phosphoric Acid Catalysts. Issue 17 (25th July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Qiying; Wang, Haiyong; Xin, Haosheng; Wang, Chenguang; Yan, Long; Wang, Yingxiong; Zhang, Qi; Zhang, Xinghua; Xu, Ying; Huber, George W.; Ma, Longlong
• Is Part Of: ChemSusChem. Volume 12:Issue 17(2019)
• Page Start: 3977
• Page End: 3987
• Publication Date: 2019-07-25
• Subjects: biomass -- cellulose -- ethanol -- H3PO4 -- nickel; Green chemistry -- Periodicals; Sustainable engineering -- Periodicals; Chemistry -- Periodicals; Chemical engineering -- Periodicals; 660
• DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201901110
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1864-5631

Abstract

Abstract: Ethanol is an important bulk chemical with diverse applications. Biomass‐derived ethanol is traditionally produced by fermentation. Direct cellulose conversion to ethanol by chemocatalysis is particularly promising but remains a great challenge. Herein, a one‐pot hydrogenolysis of cellulose into ethanol was developed by using graphene‐layers‐encapsulated nickel (Ni@C) catalysts with the aid of H3 PO4 in water. The cellulose was hydrolyzed into glucose, which was activated by forming cyclic di‐ester bonds between the OH groups of H3 PO4 and glucose, promoting ethanol formation under the synergistic hydrogenation of Ni@C. A 69.1 % yield of ethanol (carbon mole basis) was obtained, which is comparable to the theoretical value achieved by glucose fermentation. An ethanol concentration of up to 8.9 wt % was obtained at an increased cellulose concentration. This work demonstrates a chemocatalytic approach for the high‐yield production of ethanol from renewable cellulosic biomass at high concentration. Abstract : Cellulose conversion into ethanol : Ethanol is obtained through one‐pot cellulose hydrogenolysis over graphene‐layers‐encapsulated nickel catalysts with the aid of H3 PO4 in water. This work, for the first time, demonstrates a chemocatalytic approach for a high‐yield production of ethanol from biomass using a non‐noble metal catalyst.