Improved Light Hydrocarbon, Furans, and BTEX Production from the Catalytic Assisted Pyrolysis of Agave salmiana Bagasse over Silica Mesoporous Catalysts

The pyrolysis of the biomass Agave salmiana bagasse (10 K/min, ambient to 700 °C) was investigated in absence and presence Aerosil MCM-41 catalysts. synthetized using a typical hydrothermal method characterized with XRD, SAXS, SEM, TEM, nitrogen physisorption confirm unidimensional 3.4 nm diameter pores. Pyrolysis products were monitored online mass spectrometry (MS), analyzing production 29 different compounds, clustered several groups, namely, olefins (ethene, 2-butene, 1,3-butadiene), oxygenated compounds (methanol, 2-methylbutanol, acetic acid), furan derivatives (furan, furfural, 2-methylfurane), aromatic (BTEX). Complete decomposition cellulose hemicellulose content observed at temperatures below 400 °C. Lignin completed by 550 Catalyst-assisted showed reduced acid methanol formation MCM-41. use does not affect overall olefins, yet increases benzene yield, while reducing phenol, furan, derivatives. With MCM-41, there is increased derivatives, cyclohexanone BTEX, phenol decreased. At °C, product pattern comparable non-catalytic pyrolysis.