Promising sulfonated carbon-based zirconia catalyst for renewable furfural production.

Catalytic conversion of xylose and waste biomass to furfural is important in augmenting the existing supply of fossil-fuel-derived fuels and chemicals. Here, thermal treatment was used to successfully generate a sulfonated carbonaceous zirconia catalyst comprising bio renewable glucose, p-toluene sulfonic acid, and zirconium isopropoxide. This solid acid catalyst was used for heterogeneous catalytic hydrolysis of biomass and xylose dehydration to furfural. Using N₂-physisorption, NH₃-temperature-programmed desorption (NH₃-TPD), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and elemental analysis, the acidity, porosity, presence, and influence of the sulfonic acid group and zirconium were studied. The performance of the catalyst for xylose dehydration and lignocellulosic biomass transformation to furfural was examined. This heterogeneous catalyst demonstrated good catalytic activity in the manufacture of furfural, resulting in a 40% increase in furfural yield from flax straw biomass at 190 °C after 120 min. This heterogeneous catalyst also allowed for xylose dehydration to furfural without the formation of degradation products, and a recyclability investigation revealed that the catalyst was relatively stable, with only a 5% loss in furfural yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]