A review on advanced catalytic co-pyrolysis of biomass and hydrogen-rich feedstock: Insights into synergistic effect, catalyst development and reaction mechanism

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 310; p. 123457
• Main Authors: Ahmed, Mohamed H.M., Batalha, Nuno, Mahmudul, Hasan M.D., Perkins, Greg, Konarova, Muxina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2020
• Subjects: Active sites; Biofuels; Biomass; Biomass deoxygenation; carbon; Catalysis; catalysts; Co-pyrolysis; commercialization; cost effectiveness; depolymerization; ethanol; feedstocks; fossil fuels; Hot Temperature; Hydrogen; Hydrogen transfer; lignocellulose; lubricants; methane; methanol; oils; oxygen; porous media; Pyrolysis; pyrolysis oils; reaction mechanisms; research and development; silica; solid wastes; synergism; technology; tires; waste utilization; Zeolite; zeolites; Biomass deoxygenation; Hydrogen transfer; Co-pyrolysis; Zeolite; Active sites
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123457

[Display omitted] •Catalytic co-pyrolysis of biomass and high-rich feedstock is reviewed.•Synergistic interaction between hydrogen donor feedstock and biomass are presented.•Effective catalysts for biomass deoxygenation and hydrogen transfer are compared.•Co-pyrolysis addresses waste management goals by utilizing abundant waste feedstock. The depletion of fossil fuel reserves and the growing demand for alternative energy sources are the main drivers of biomass and carbonaceous waste utilization. Particularly, non-edible lignocellulosic biomass is the most attractive renewable feedstock due to its abundance. Pyrolysis of biomass produces highly oxygenated compounds with oxygen content >35 wt%. The cost-effective elimination of oxygen from the pyrolysis oil is the most challenging task impeding the commercialization of biomass to biofuel processes. The effective hydrogen/carbon ratio in biomass pyrolysis oil is low (0.3), requiring external hydrogen supply to produce hydrocarbon-rich oils. Exploiting hydrogen-rich feedstock particularly, solid waste (plastic, tyre and scum) and other low-cost feedstock (lubricant oil, methane, methanol, and ethanol) offer an eco-friendly solution to upgrade the produced bio-oil. Multi-functional catalysts that are capable of cleaving oxygen, promoting hydrogen transfer and depolymerisation must be developed to produce hydrocarbon-rich oil from biomass. This review compares catalytic co-pyrolysis studies based on zeolites, mesoporous silica and metal oxides. Furthermore, a wide range of catalyst modifications and the role of each feedstock were summarised to give a complete picture of the progress made on biomass co-pyrolysis research and development.