Catalytic Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass into Fuels and Chemicals
This community focuses on the chemical transformation of plant waste into liquid fuels and platform chemicals, primarily through hydrogenation, hydrodeoxygenation, and pyrolysis processes.
The work centers on upgrading specific biomass derivatives, such as levulinic acid, furfural, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, into valuable products like furfuryl alcohol, lactic acid, and green diesel. Researchers frequently develop solid acid catalysts and metal-based systems, including molybdenum carbides and supported nickel, to achieve high selectivity under mild conditions. The feedstock is predominantly lignocellulosic biomass, with significant attention to kraft lignin and glycerol as alternative carbon sources. Key methodologies include transfer hydrogenation, fast pyrolysis, and hydrothermal liquefaction, aiming to convert these complex organic structures into stable, energy-dense molecules or polymer precursors.
The largest share of the community's output is found in molybdenum research (1.1% of all molybdenum research), followed by nickel (0.6%) and hydrogen (0.5%). Carbon contributes the highest number of papers within this group, with 3,438 entries.
The community comprises 20,093 papers, published most frequently in Fuel, Catalysis Today, and Green Chemistry.
Recent work continues to refine catalyst design for specific transformations, such as the cobalt-molybdenum catalysis of hydrothermal liquefaction biocrude for sustainable aviation fuel and the use of silver catalysts to produce chiral glyceric acid from biomass.