Aqueous-phase Reforming of Sugar Derivatives: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Generation of chemicals from renewable bio-based feedstocks often involve a hydrogenation step. In order to make these conversions completely green, it is essential that the required hydrogen for this is also made available from bio feedstocks. Byproducts of bio-based processes are typical for this. Examples of such scenarios are outlined to justify their choice. Waste/byproduct bio-feedstocks available for hydrogen production are often dilute aqueous streams. This chapter addresses the current status and issues involved in the production of hydrogen via catalytic aqueous phase reforming of such streams.

Integrated low carbon H2 conversion with in situ carbon mineralization from aqueous biomass oxygenate precursors by tuning reactive multiphase chemical interactions

“…Further evidence of carbon mineralization is observed from the TGA plots in Fig.6(A) and (C), which show four distinct weight losses corresponding to Mg(OH) 2 , Ca(OH) 2 , MgCO 3 , and CaCO 3 respectively. These results conclusively demonstrate that the Ca-and Mg-bearing phases in ladle slag are the main reacting components with CO 2 to form the carbonate minerals, as shown by reactions(8) and(9).…”

“…60 Subsequent re-deposition of the dissolved alumina on the catalyst causes blocking of active catalytic Ni/Pt sites which leads to catalyst deactivation and hence limits feedstock conversion. 9 These results show that either biomass deconstruction or acetate regeneration could be limiting H 2 evolution and represents an interesting selectivity challenge that requires further investigation in our future work. H 2 yields of 20–80% are also noted with ethylene glycol and glycerol without in situ CO 2 capture, although higher methane formation was observed with glycerol.…”

“…6 One of the less explored but highly promising approaches is to harness low value and renewable aqueous biomass oxygenates such as bio-derived methanol, ethylene glycol, ethanol, formate and acetate for producing H 2 . 4,[7][8][9] Depending on the sourcing and processing conditions, the use of aqueous bio-derived feedstocks for H 2 production has the potential to be carbon neutral. 10 Bio-derived oxygenates are abundant in wastewater from biomass processing.…”

One-Pot Conversion of Carbohydrates in Biomass to Isobutyroin-Rich Branched Oxygenates: Carbohydrate Depolymerization and Methyl Introduction in Supercritical Methanol

“…3,4 Aqueous-phase reforming (APR) is another important processing technology for biomass, which has drawn extensive attention in past few decades. 5 However, the production of fuel from APR is largely determined by the availability of intermediate products. In the literature, hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, polyols, biogenic ketones, γ-valerolactone, levulinic acid, or angelica lactone dimer were used for fuel production as intermediates from carbohydrates (cellulose and/or hemicellulose).…”

“…To realize the changes mentioned above, biomass is always first converted into an intermediate phase and then upgraded to target products. Pyrolysis/upgrading and gasification/Fischer–Tropsch (F–T) synthesis are the two most typical examples. , Aqueous-phase reforming (APR) is another important processing technology for biomass, which has drawn extensive attention in past few decades . However, the production of fuel from APR is largely determined by the availability of intermediate products.…”