(2021) Cellulose_Synergistic benefits for hydrogen production through CO₂-cofeeding catalytic pyrolysis of cellulosic biomass waste

Cho S.-H., Cho E.-B., Lee J.-H., Moon D.H., Jung S., Kwon E.E.

(Springer Science and Business Media B.V.) Cellulose ISSN: 9690239 Vol.28 Issue.8 Article No. DOI: 10.1007/s10570-021-03810-0

Direct valorization of cellulosic biomass waste into energy is beneficial based on the concept of waste-to-energy. Pyrolysis of the biomass waste opens a chance to upgrade the valueless waste into value-added platform chemicals such as syngas (H₂ and CO). This study focused on valorization of sesame seed waste (SSW), a biomass waste material collected after sesame oil extraction, into syngas. To enhance syngas production and make this process more environmentally benign, CO₂ was added as co-reactant during SSW pyrolysis. In the presence of CO₂, pyrolysis of SSW showed enhanced CO formation (670 %), comparing with pyrolysis under N₂, due to the gas phase reactions (GPRs) between CO₂ and volatile hydrocarbons resulted from pyrolysis of SSW. To enhance syngas production from SSW pyrolysis, mesoporous nickel-based catalyst was used for catalytic pyrolysis due to its known catalytic capability for chemical bond scissions of hydrocarbons and biomass-derived oxygenates. The enhanced production of syngas was proportionate to catalytic bed temperature (500, 600, and 700 °C) and catalyst loadings (0.2, 0.5, and 1 g), and the GPRs were independent with H₂ formation. All experimental findings indicated that CO₂-assisted catalytic pyrolysis significantly improved H₂ and CO formations from a cellulosic biomass waste material, controlling the CO concentration with an introduction of CO₂. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.

This work was financially supported from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF- 2019R1A4A1027795). E.-B. Cho acknowledges supports under the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2020R1A2C1015117). This research was also conducted with the support of the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI) as a funding from the Ministry of Environment in 2020.