Biomass-derived furfural conversion over Ni/CNT catalysts at the interface of water-oil emulsion droplets

HERRERA, C., PINTO-NEIRA, J., FUENTEALBA, D., SEPÚLVEDA, C., ROSENKRANZ, A., GONZÁLEZ, M., ESCALONA, N.:
Catalysis Communications, Volume 144, 2020, 106070.

DOI: 10.1016/j.catcom.2020.106070

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes-supported Ni catalysts were investigated for the hydrogenation of furfural as a biomass-derived furanic model compound at the liquid-liquid interface of Pickering emulsions in a batch reactor at 200 °C and 2.0 MPa of H₂ pressure. The catalysts were characterized by N₂physisorption, He-TPD/MS, NH₃-TPD/MS, TEM, CO chemisorption, H₂-TPR, contact angle and optical/fluorescent microscopy. It was found that an increase of surface oxygen groups allows for the formation of amphiphilic particles. The amphiphilic 10%Ni/CNTox particles were homogeneous dispersed at the water-oil interface of the emulsion droplets thus enhancing the catalytic activity in furfural conversion.