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Catalysts
Special Issues
Recent Advances in Catalytic Biomass Conversion to Value-Added Chemicals
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Recent Advances in Catalytic Biomass Conversion to Value-Added Chemicals

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomass Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 10102

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Ricciardi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 84081 Baronissi, SA, Italy
Interests: environmental chemistry; stable isotope analysis; analytical chemistry; environmental pollutants monitoring; green chemistry; sustainable catalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Raffaele Cucciniello

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy
Interests: environmental catalysis; green chemistry; biomass conversion and valorisation; sampling and catalytic degradation of environmental pollutants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Roberto Esposito

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Science Chemistry, Monte S. Angelo University Federico II, via Cintia 21, 80126 Napoli, Italy
Interests: transition metals; homogeneous catalysis; supported homogeneous catalysis; ligand design; bio-active platinum compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the last few years, several efforts have been devoted in academia and industry to biomass valorisation through its conversion into value-added products. In this context, efficient catalytic systems are essential to improve the environmental sustainability of the overall process from biomass utilization to its transformation into useful chemicals.

This Special Issue, entitled "Recent Advances in Catalytic Biomass Conversion to Value-Added Chemicals," aims to publish promising recent and original research papers, reviews, and short communications on catalysis applied to biomass conversion with particular emphasis on the production of value-added chemicals.

Specifically, the topics of this Special Issue include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Advanced and innovative catalytic processes for the transformation of biomass feedstocks and/or biomass wastes
  • Preparation and characterization of new catalysts (both homogeneous and heterogeneous) for biomass conversion
  • Green and environmentally friendly catalytic processes for the valorization of bio-based platform molecules and its wastes (including industrial/biorefinery processes byproducts)
  • Sustainability studies (e.g., Life Cycle Assessment) on previously reported or novel catalytic process employed in biomass transformation

Original results from all areas of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis supplying new advances into biomass conversion are extremely welcome.

Dr. Maria Ricciardi
Dr. Raffaele Cucciniello
Dr. Roberto Esposito
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Biomass conversion
  • Catalysts synthesis
  • Sustainable catalysis
  • Heterogeneous catalysis
  • Homogeneous catalysis
  • Waste valorization
  • Value-added products

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 2401 KiB  
Article
Enzymatic Production of Lauroyl and Stearoyl Monoesters of d-Xylose, l-Arabinose, and d-Glucose as Potential Lignocellulosic-Derived Products, and Their Evaluation as Antimicrobial Agents
by Victoria Giorgi, Emiliana Botto, Carolina Fontana, Luca Della Mea, Silvio Vaz, Jr., Pilar Menéndez and Paula Rodríguez
Catalysts 2022, 12(6), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12060610 - 02 Jun 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2174
Abstract
Forestry and agricultural industries constitute highly relevant economic activities globally. They generate large amounts of residues rich in lignocellulose that have the potential to be valorized and used in different industrial processes. Producing renewable fuels and high-value-added compounds from lignocellulosic biomass is a [...] Read more.
Forestry and agricultural industries constitute highly relevant economic activities globally. They generate large amounts of residues rich in lignocellulose that have the potential to be valorized and used in different industrial processes. Producing renewable fuels and high-value-added compounds from lignocellulosic biomass is a key aspect of sustainable strategies and is central to the biorefinery concept. In this study, the use of biomass-derived monosaccharides for the enzymatic synthesis of sugar fatty acid esters (SFAEs) with antimicrobial activity was investigated to valorize these agro-industrial residues. With the aim to evaluate if lignocellulosic monosaccharides could be substrates for the synthesis of SFAEs, d-xylose, l-arabinose, and d-glucose, lauroyl and stearoyl monoesters were synthetized by transesterification reactions catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM as biocatalyst. The reactions were performed using commercial d-xylose, l-arabinose, and d-glucose separately as substrates, and a 74:13:13 mixture of these sugars. The proportion of monosaccharides in the latter mixture corresponds to the composition found in hemicellulose from sugarcane bagasse and switchgrass, as previously described in the literature. Products were characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and showed that only the primary hydroxyl group of these monosaccharides is involved in the esterification reaction. Antimicrobial activity assay using several microorganisms showed that 5-O-lauroyl-d-xylofuranose and 5-O-lauroyl-l-arabinofuranose have the ability to inhibit the growth of Gram-positive bacteria separately and in the products mix. Furthermore, 5-O-lauroyl-l-arabinofuranose was the only product that exhibited activity against Candida albicans yeast, and the four tested filamentous fungi. These results suggest that sugar fatty acid esters obtained from sustainable and renewable resources and produced by green methods are promising antimicrobial agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Catalytic Biomass Conversion to Value-Added Chemicals)
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11 pages, 1710 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Liquid Hot Water Pretreatment and Fermentation for Ethanol Production from Sugarcane Bagasse Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae
by Punjarat Khongchamnan, Nopparat Suriyachai, Torpong Kreetachat, Navadol Laosiripojana, Khatiya Weerasai, Verawat Champreda, Kowit Suwannahong, Chainarong Sakulthaew, Chanat Chokejaroenrat and Saksit Imman
Catalysts 2022, 12(5), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12050463 - 21 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1970
Abstract
Sugarcane bagasse can be considered a potential raw material in terms of quantity and quality for the production of alternative biofuels. In this research, liquid hot water (LHW) was studied as a pretreatment process to enhance the digestibility of pretreated material for further [...] Read more.
Sugarcane bagasse can be considered a potential raw material in terms of quantity and quality for the production of alternative biofuels. In this research, liquid hot water (LHW) was studied as a pretreatment process to enhance the digestibility of pretreated material for further conversion into bioethanol. Different variables (temperature, residual time, and acid concentration) were determined to predict the optimized condition. LHW pretreatment showed an impact on the hemicellulose structure. The optimized condition at 160 °C for 60 min with 0.050 M acid concentration reached the highest glucose yield of 96.86%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed conspicuous modification of the sugarcane bagasse structure. The effect of LHW pretreatment was also demonstrated by the changes in crystallinity and surface area analysis. FTIR techniques revealed the chemical structure changes of pretreated sugarcane bagasse. The prepared material was further converted into ethanol production with the maximized ethanol concentration of 19.9 g/L. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Catalytic Biomass Conversion to Value-Added Chemicals)
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17 pages, 2756 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Ce/MgO Catalysts for Direct Oxidation of Hibiscus cannabinus Stalks to Vanillin
by Nur Akila Syakida Idayu Khairul Anuar, Anita Ramli and Lim Jun Wei
Catalysts 2021, 11(12), 1449; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal11121449 - 28 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1997
Abstract
One possible method of producing vanillin from biomass is through controlled oxidation of lignin. Direct oxidation of kenaf stalks was chosen without having to separate the cellulose and hemicellulose components from the lignocellulosic biomass. This makes the process greener, as well as saving [...] Read more.
One possible method of producing vanillin from biomass is through controlled oxidation of lignin. Direct oxidation of kenaf stalks was chosen without having to separate the cellulose and hemicellulose components from the lignocellulosic biomass. This makes the process greener, as well as saving time. In this paper, Ce/MgO catalysts were developed for oxidation of kenaf stalks and kenaf lignin under microwave irradiation. The catalysts were characterized for their physicochemical properties using XRD and N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms. The synthesized MgO showed the presence of diffraction peaks assigned to cubic MgO while the 30Ce/MgO catalysts showed the presence of cubic fluorite of CeO2. N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms showed that all catalysts possess Type III isotherm according to IUPAC classification, indicating a nonporous structure. All catalysts were tested for direct oxidation of kenaf stalks under 300 W of microwave irradiation using H2O2 as the oxidizing agent at pH 11.5 and temperatures between 160 and 180 °C for 10–30 min with 5–15% catalyst loading. The highest vanillin yields of 3.70% and 2.90% for extracted lignin and direct biomass oxidation were achieved using 30Ce/MgO-48. In comparison, 7.80% and 4.45% were obtained using 2N of NaOH homogeneous catalyst for extracted lignin and direct biomass, respectively, at 170 °C for 20 min. The reusability test shows that 30Ce/MgO can be used up to three cycles without significant loss in catalytic activity. Other compounds detected were 4-vinylguaiacol, syringol and syringaldehyde. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Catalytic Biomass Conversion to Value-Added Chemicals)
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Review

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21 pages, 4449 KiB  
Review
Catalytic Routes to Produce Polyphenolic Esters (PEs) from Biomass Feedstocks
by Antonio Faggiano, Maria Ricciardi and Antonio Proto
Catalysts 2022, 12(4), 447; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12040447 - 18 Apr 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3050
Abstract
Polyphenolic esters (PEs) are valuable chemical compounds that display a wide spectrum of activities (e.g., anti-oxidative effects). As a result, their production through catalytic routes is an attractive field of research. The present review aims to discuss recent studies from the literature regarding [...] Read more.
Polyphenolic esters (PEs) are valuable chemical compounds that display a wide spectrum of activities (e.g., anti-oxidative effects). As a result, their production through catalytic routes is an attractive field of research. The present review aims to discuss recent studies from the literature regarding the catalytic production of PEs from biomass feedstocks, namely, naturally occurred polyphenolic compounds. Several synthetic approaches are reported in the literature, mainly bio-catalysis and to a lesser extent acid catalysis. Immobilized lipases (e.g., Novozym 435) are the preferred enzymes thanks to their high reactivity, selectivity and reusability. Acid catalysis is principally investigated for the esterification of polyphenolic acids with fatty alcohols and/or glycerol, using both homogeneous (p-toluensulfonic acid, sulfonic acid and ionic liquids) and heterogeneous (strongly acidic cation exchange resins) catalysts. Based on the reviewed publications, we propose some suggestions to improve the synthesis of PEs with the aim of increasing the greenness of the overall production process. In fact, much more attention should be paid to the use of new and efficient acid catalysts and their reuse for multiple reaction cycles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Catalytic Biomass Conversion to Value-Added Chemicals)
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