Preparation of metal-modified carbon-based catalyst and experimental study on catalytic pyrolysis of distillers dried grains with solubles

• Published in: Journal of analytical and applied pyrolysis Vol. 183; p. 106771
• Main Authors: Tian, Liying, Liu, Shengyong, Tahir, Nadeem, Huang, Li, Tao, Hongge, Zhao, Dengke, Wang, Jiawei, Cai, Junmeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Aromatic hydrocarbons; Carbon-based catalyst; Catalytic pyrolysis; Distillers dried grains with soluble; Metal modification; Metal modification; Aromatic hydrocarbons; Catalytic pyrolysis; Distillers dried grains with soluble; Carbon-based catalyst
• ISSN: 0165-2370
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaap.2024.106771

Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) offer high calorific value, suited for catalytic rapid pyrolysis for energy and chemical applications, yet tar and coke formation during bio-oil upgrading necessitates exploration of cost-effective, durable biocarbon-based catalysts for tar removal. In this study, a carbon-based catalyst was prepared by metal modification of alkaline biochar for catalytic pyrolysis with Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) biomass. Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) were used to characterized the morphology and microstructure of the metal-modified carbon-based catalysts. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) was used to analysis the pyrolysis-gas of catalytic pyrolysis. Furthermore, the effects of the loading and metal mass ratio of carbon-based monometallic catalysts (Fe and Co) and carbon-based bimetallic catalysts (Fe-Co) on the distribution of the DDGS pyrolysis products were further investigated. The results showed that the 8 wt% of loading rate of bimetallic catalyst significantly reduced the oxygenated compounds but increased the aromatic hydrocarbons. Compared with pyrolysis without catalyst, when the catalyst was 2Fe6Co (mass ratio of Fe/Co 1:3), the hydrocarbons increased from 36.42 % to 44.53 %, the oxygen-containing compounds decreased from 60.36 % to 52.35 %, and the aromatics increased significantly from 0.73 % to 25.37 %. This study provides a new route of increasing the aromatic hydrocarbon content of catalytic pyrolysis to offer theoretical basis for carbon-based catalysts of biomass conversion. [Display omitted] •The carbon-based catalyst was obtained by the metal modification of alkaline biochar using the impregnation method.•The bimetallic catalyst (2Fe6Co) produced a good synergistic effect.•The aromatic hydrocarbon content increased significantly from 0.73 % to 25.37 %.•The optimal mass ratio of Fe and Co bimetals was 1:3.