Transformation of Biomass into Aromatics with Zeolite Catalysts

Abstract

Biomass is a nature renewable resource which can be used for the production of high value chemicals and bio-fuels. In the present work, the transformation of sawdust into aromatics such as benzene, toluene and xylenes was investigated over a series of zeolite catalysts (NaZSM-5, HZSM-5, ReY and HY catalysts). Among the tested catalysts, the HZSM-5 catalyst shows the highest activity for the production of aromatics. The yield and carbon selectivity of aromatics reached about 26.5% and 62.5C-mol%, respectively over the HZSM-5 catalyst under the optimal condition of T=450 °C, f(N2)=300 cm3/min, and catalyst/lignin ratio of 2. The effects of the reaction conditions including temperature, gas flow rate, and catalyst/sawdust ratio on the production of aromatics were investigated in detail and the formation of aromatics from lignocellulosic biomass was also addressed.