Glucose production from hydrolysis of cellulose over a novel silica catalyst under hydrothermal conditions.
A novel silica catalyst was synthesized by evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) method and tested for the catalytic selective hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose. This silica catalyst exhibited a higher catalytic activity than other oxides prepared by the same method, such as ZrO2, TiO2, and Al2O3. Using silica as a catalyst, cellulose was selectively hydrolyzed into glucose with a glucose yield as high as 50% under hydrothermal conditions without hydrogen gas. The silica catalyst was characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH3-TPD) and textural properties indicated that the synergistic effect between strong acidity and a suitable pore diameter of the silica catalyst may be responsible for its high activity. In addition, the catalyst was recyclable and showed excellent stability during the recycle catalytic runs.
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
Huayu
H
Wang
Changbin
C
Zhang
Hong
H
He
Lian
L
Wang
D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D002384:Catalysis; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D005947:Glucose / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006868:Hydrolysis; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*
D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D002482:Cellulose; D005947:Glucose