With increased availability and decreased cost, ethanol is potentially a promising platform molecule for the production of a variety of value-added chemicals. In this review, we provide a detailed summary of recent advances in catalytic conversion of ethanol to a wide range of chemicals and fuels. We particularly focus on catalyst advances and fundamental understanding of reaction mechanisms involved in ethanol steam reforming (ESR) to produce hydrogen, ethanol conversion to hydrocarbons ranging from light olefins to longer chain alkenes/alkanes and aromatics, and ethanol conversion to other oxygenates including 1-butanol, acetaldehyde, acetone, diethyl ether, and ethyl acetate.

Recent Advances in Catalytic Conversion of Ethanol to Chemicals

Bio-oil derived from fast pyrolysis of lignocellulosic materials is among the most complex and inexpensive raw oils that can be produced today. Although commercial or demonstration scale fast pyrol...

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Challenges and Opportunities for Bio-oil Refining: A Review

https://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2115/51051/1/CEJ207-208_490-496.pdf

Kinetics of n-hexane cracking over ZSM-5 zeolites : Effect of crystal size on effectiveness factor and catalyst lifetime

Molecular sieves (zeolites, mesoporous materials, hierarchic systems, two-dimensional zeolites) are important acid catalysts for transformations of biomass into required products. This article covers the upgrading potential of different types of biomass based on their source and discusses the reaction pathways of their transformations emphasizing the role of molecular sieve catalysts. As typical examples, catalytic pyrolysis, deoxygenation, transesterification, dehydration, isomerization, and condensation reactions were chosen. Properties and chemical/textural characteristics of the most important molecular sieve catalysts are briefly discussed and related to their catalytic behavior in biomass transformations. Finally, potential of novel molecular sieve catalysts towards biomass upgrading is highlighted and some examples of novel zeolitic materials are addressed.

Application of Molecular Sieves in Transformations of Biomass and Biomass-Derived Feedstocks

Synthesis of NiMo hydrodesulfurization catalyst supported on a composite of nano-sized ZSM-5 zeolite enwrapped with mesoporous KIT-6 material and its high isomerization selectivity

Production of light olefins such as ethylene, propylene and isobutylene from acetone was examined over ZSM-5 zeolites. These light olefins are produced from acetone over the acid sites of the zeolite via a series of consecutive reactions where olefins such as ethylene and propylene are obtained by cracking of isobutylene produced from aldol condensation products of acetone. Macro- and nano-sized ZSM-5 zeolites were prepared by conventional hydrothermal and emulsion methods, respectively, and the ZSM-5 zeolites with nearly the same acidity and BET surface area were obtained regardless of the crystal sizes. From SEM observations, the crystal sizes of the zeolites were approximately 2000 nm and 30–40 nm. These zeolites with different crystal sizes were applied to light olefins synthesis from acetone, and the effect of crystal size on catalytic activity and stability was investigated. As compared with the macro-seized zeolite, the nano-sized zeolite exhibited a high activity over a long lifetime. However, because the nano-sized zeolite possesses a large external surface area, undesirable reactions to form aromatics from the produced light olefins occurred on the acid sites located near the external surface. To inhibit aromatics formation, selective deactivation of the acid sites located near the outer surface of the zeolite was achieved via the catalytic cracking of silane (CCS) method using diphenyl silane (DP-silane). The CCS method was effective in deactivating the acid sites located near the external surface of the ZSM-5 zeolite. Moreover, the nano-size zeolite after the CCS treatment using DP-silane exhibited high olefins and low aromatics yields under high acetone conversion conditions.

https://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2115/47377/1/ACA403-1-2_183-191.pdf

Selective synthesis for light olefins from acetone over ZSM-5 zeolites with nano- and macro-crystal sizes

Selective de-activation of acid sites located near the outer surface of zeolite was examined using the catalytic cracking of silane (CCS) method. From FT-IR analysis, adsorption species of silane compounds on the acid sites of zeolite during calcination were investigated. Moreover, the effects of types of silane compounds on the changes in zeolite properties, including the amounts of adsorbed ammonia and benzene within zeolite, prior to and after CCS treatment, were examined. The CCS method using diphenylmethylsilane (DPM-silane) was effective in de-activating the acid sites located near the outer surface of ZSM-5 zeolite. Olefin synthesis from acetone was carried out using ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts. The ZSM-5 zeolite after the CCS treatment using DPMsilane exhibited high olefin selectivity as well as low aromatic selectivity.

Mariko Sakamoto

Papers

Selective synthesis for light olefins from acetone over ZSM-5 zeolites with nano- and macro-crystal sizes

Control of Acid-Site Location of MFI Zeolite by Catalytic Cracking of Silane and Its Application to Olefin Synthesis from Acetone