Abstract
To enhance the quality of raw bio-oil derived from the pyrolysis of biomass, hydrogen-rich reactants such as waste plastics, cooking oils, and soap stock are frequently incorporated into the fast catalytic co-pyrolysis (co-CFP) of biomass. Nevertheless, widespread uses of acids, bases, and zeolite catalysts must address concerns such as easy to coke, regeneration challenges, and environmental impacts. In this study, one green carbon catalyst is derived from nanocellulose (NCCC) and then firstly applied to co-pyrolyze the Douglas Fir (DF), a typical lumber species in North America, together with low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a commonly used plastic. The use of NCCC during feedstock co-pyrolysis boosted the formation of aromatics, particularly the mono-aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs) in bio-oil and H2-rich gaseous products, with a selectivity of H2 to 65 vol.%, nearly double the selectivity without catalysts. Even after five consecutive applications, the NCCC still displays good catalytic effectiveness in the co-pyrolysis: its selectivity for H2 in gaseous products (48 area%) after five-time usage is virtually equal to that without catalysts (46 area%). Moreover, the mechanism of the NCCC application was investigated by applying the NCCC in a co-pyrolysis of LDPE and DF, along with their individual pyrolysis at temperatures ranging from 450 to 800 °C. This research investigated the potential catalytic impacts of NCCC in co-CFP process, aiming to provide an affordable, eco-friendly heterogeneous catalyst to replace existing acid/base catalysts in the conversion of biomass.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 145640 |
Journal | Chemical Engineering Journal |
Volume | 474 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 15 2023 |
Externally published | Yes |
Funding
This work is funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) that is a leading competitive grants program (Grant no. 2016-67021-24533 and 2018-67009-27904). We would like to appreciate Dr. Aftab Ahamed for his assistance with the GC/MS study. We also thank Dr. Valerie Lynch-Holm and Dr. Dan Mullendore for SEM instruction and research at Washington State University's Franceschi Microscopy & Imaging Center (FMIC). This work is funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) that is a leading competitive grants program (Grant no. 2016-67021-24533 and 2018-67009-27904). We would like to appreciate Dr. Aftab Ahamed for his assistance with the GC/MS study. We also thank Dr. Valerie Lynch-Holm and Dr. Dan Mullendore for SEM instruction and research at Washington State University's Franceschi Microscopy & Imaging Center (FMIC).
Keywords
- Biomass
- Co-CFP
- Green carbon catalyts
- Hydrogen
- Plastics