High-Selective and Ultrafast Furfural Removal From Simulated Biomass Hydrolysates via a Sustainable MOF-Based...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Biomass hydrolysis generates inhibitory compounds like furfural, hindering biofuel and bioplastic production.
• Efficient removal of these inhibitors is crucial for sustainable lignocellulosic bioconversion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and apply a metal-organic framework (MOF), MIL-53-TDC, for selective furfural removal.
• To investigate the adsorption mechanism and performance of MIL-53-TDC for hydrolysate purification.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of MIL-53-TDC.
• Static and dynamic adsorption studies to evaluate furfural and pentose adsorption.
• Analysis of adsorption mechanisms using experimental data and calculations.

Main Results:

• MIL-53-TDC exhibits a unique 1D pore structure enabling selective molecular sieving.
• Achieved high furfural adsorption capacity (424.6 mg g⁻¹) with 98% removal and ultrafast kinetics.
• Demonstrated complete furfural selectivity in dynamic breakthrough tests (202.9 mg g⁻¹ capacity).

Conclusions:

• MIL-53-TDC acts as a robust and regenerable adsorbent for efficient hydrolysate purification.
• The synergy of size exclusion and hydrogen bonding drives high-performance furfural capture.
• This MOF overcomes a critical bottleneck in lignocellulosic bioconversion, advancing sustainable biofuel and bioplastic production.