Production of p‐Xylene from Biomass by Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis Using ZSM‐5 Catalysts with Reduced Pore Openings

• DOI: 10.1002/ange.201205230
• Publication Date: 2012-10-04T13:25:49Z
• Authors: Yu‐Ting Cheng; Zhuopeng Wang; Christopher J. Gi...; Wei Fan; George W. Huber
• Keywords: Molecular Structure; Zeolites; Biomass; 02 engineering and technology; Xylenes; 0210 nano-technology; Oxidation-Reduction; Catalysis

Pores for thought: Chemical liquid deposition of silica onto ZSM-5 catalysts led to smaller pore openings that resulted in >90% selectivity for p-xylene over the other xylenes in the catalytic fast pyrolysis of furan and 2-methylfuran (see scheme). The p-xylene selectivity increased from 51% with gallium spray-dried ZSM-5 to 72% with a pore-mouth-modified catalyst in the pyrolysis of pine wood.