Nickel nanoparticles inlaid in lignin-derived carbon as high effective catalyst for lignin depolymerization

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Materials Science
• Biomass Conversion

Background:

• Lignin hydrogenolysis is crucial for biomass valorization.
• Traditional "supported type" Ni/C catalysts face challenges with stability and active site accessibility.
• Developing advanced catalysts is essential for efficient lignin depolymerization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize an "inlaid type" Ni/C catalyst (Ni/C-I) for enhanced lignin hydrogenolysis.
• To improve the catalyst's stability and metal-support interaction.
• To investigate the catalytic performance and mechanism of the modified Ni/C-R catalyst.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of "inlaid type" Ni/C-I catalyst from lignin-derived carbon.
• Heat treatment of Ni/C-I in air to obtain Ni/C-R catalyst.
• Characterization of catalyst structure using various techniques.
• Lignin depolymerization experiments and analysis of aromatic monomer and bio-oil yields.
• Mechanism studies using lignin model compounds.

Main Results:

• The "inlaid structure" of Ni/C-I and Ni/C-R catalysts was confirmed.
• Ni/C-R exhibited superior catalytic performance compared to traditional Ni/C catalysts.
• Achieved 23.3% aromatic monomer yield and 82.4% bio-oil yield.
• Ni/C-R demonstrated enhanced bond-breaking ability, including C-C bond cleavage.
• Electron transfer from Ni0 to the carbon support in Ni/C-R was identified as a key factor.

Conclusions:

• The "inlaid type" Ni/C-R catalyst offers improved stability and catalytic activity for lignin hydrogenolysis.
• The catalyst's enhanced performance is attributed to its unique structure and electron transfer properties.
• This development paves the way for more efficient lignin valorization and bio-oil production.