From Woody Biomass to Ethylene Glycol: Inorganics Removal Boosts the Yield

Tungstate-catalyzed hydrogenolysis of sugars in untreated woody biomass to ethylene glycol (EG) has so far been unsuccessful. This work shows that production EG is predominantly hampered by the presence inorganic impurities biomass, which can be selectively removed an acid leaching step at room temperature. Catalytic and acid-leached samples was run 245 °C using sodium polytungstate Raney Ni catalysts low loadings, make them sensitive deactivation impurities. Acid-leached pine poplar gave a combined yield (ethylene + propylene glycol) ∼44 wt %, similar microcrystalline cellulose, whereas their counterpart only delivered 22 %. Measurement dissolved fraction homogenous tungstate catalyst, i.e., active, after experiment found key predictor yield: contaminants, such as calcium, are indeed shown precipitate catalyst.