Thermochemical conversion catalysis

Options for Catalysis in the Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass into Fuels... 

Catalytica Associates, Inc. is conducting a study to produce a systematic assessment of the role of catalysis in thermochemical conversion via gasification and liquefaction. This study is also examining the potential impact of catalytic concepts under development in other areas, such as coal conversion, and new reactor technology on biomass conversion. 

Baker, E. Mudge, L. Wilcox, W. A., Catalysis of gas phase reactions in steam gasification of biomass. In Fundamentals of Thermochemical Biomass Conversion, Overend, R. P. et al., Ed., Elsevier Applied Science, London, 1985, pp. 1194-1208. 

Thermochemical biomass-to-liquid (BtL) conversion, involving thermal gasification of the biomass and subsequent synthesis of biofuels by the Fischer-Tropsch process. Various aspects of the use of catalysis in this process are discussed in the several chapters. 

Hydrothermal carbonization is a thermochemical process involving the conversion of carbohydrate components (i. e., cellulose and hemicellulose) of biomass into carbon-rich solids in water at elevated temperature and pressure (Titirici et al., 2007b). Under acidic conditions with catalysis by iron salts, the reaction temperature during carbonation may be as low as 200°C (Titirici et al., 2007a). Iron oxide nanoparticles and iron ions were found to be effective in catalyzing hydrothermal carbonization of starch and rice grains under mild temperatures of < 200°C and gave attractive nanostructures (Cui et al., 2006). 

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