ARTEAGA, L.; GÓMEZ, O.; JIMÉNEZ, R.; ROMERO, R.:
Proceedings, 5th Latin American Congress on Biorefineries, January 2019, 116-121.
Abstract
A comprehensive study of carbon aerogel-supported nickel (Ni/CAG) in the catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) of torrefied Eucalyptus globulus was performed in a micropyrolysis unit (Py-GCMS). Catalysts were characterized by N2adsorption-desorption at 77K, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Regardless the use of catalysts, the pyrolysis vapors produced from torrefied biomass were depleted in carboxylic acids (selectivity<7%). Furthermore, the CFP decreased the selectivity to furans and ketones by almost 50%, while phenols increased in a similar proportion. Ni/CAG was active for hydrogenation under H2-depleted atmosphere, presumably by a synergistic effect between water gas shift and reforming reactions with transalkylation and decarbonylation of phenolics and furanics. It was demonstrated that metal cluster sizes influenced the reaction routes by favoring hydrogenation on metal facets and deoxygenation on step/corners sites.