Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2015, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (9): 1419-1427.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(15)60942-1

• Minireviews • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Porous carbon in catalytic transformation of cellulose

Xiaochen Zhao, Jinming Xu, Aiqin Wang, Tao Zhang   

  1. State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, Liaoning, China
  • Received:2015-05-29 Revised:2015-06-28 Online:2015-08-28 Published:2015-09-26
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21303187, 21403218, 21176235).

Abstract:

The application of porous carbon in catalytic transformation of cellulose has received considerable interest owing to increasing energy and environmental pressures. In this mini-review, we first outline the featured properties of porous carbon in catalytic cellulose transformation in terms of porosities and surface functionalities. An interconnected hierarchical structure and enrichment of mesopores are highly desired for reactant, intermediate, and product diffusion; while hydrophilic surfaces are favored in aqueous phase transformation and certain acidic oxygen functionalities play a role of acid sites as well as enhancing the adsorption of feedstock via 1,4-glycosidic bonds. We then summarize specific reactions in cellulose transformation in the order of hydrolysis and hydrolytic hydrogenation. In the hydrolysis of cellulose, porous carbon is generally used as a solid acid by taking advantage of its enriched oxygen functionalities, while in the hydrolytic hydrogenation, carbon serves as the support of bifunctional catalysts with active acidic sites. Finally, the synthesis and potential application of specific novel porous carbon materials, such as heteroatom-modified porous carbon and mesoporous carbon composites, are highlighted.

Key words: Biomass conversion, Catalysis, Porous carbon, Activated carbon, Mesoporous carbon, Cellulose