Synergistic catalyst Ru/NbOPO4/TiO2 for selective hydrodeoxygenation of phenolics towards unlocking lignin's potential

Van Minh Dinh; Giacomo Gorza; Ajaikumar Samikannu; Lakhya Jyoti Konwar; Solomon Tesfalidet; Shokat Sarmad; Paolo Canu; Jyri Pekka Mikkola

doi:10.1016/j.mcat.2025.115177

Synergistic catalyst Ru/NbOPO₄/TiO₂ for selective hydrodeoxygenation of phenolics towards unlocking lignin's potential

Van Minh Dinh^*
, Giacomo Gorza
, Ajaikumar Samikannu
, Lakhya Jyoti Konwar
, Solomon Tesfalidet
, Shokat Sarmad
, Paolo Canu
, Jyri Pekka Mikkola

^*Corresponding author for this work

Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry and Reaction Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Lignin valorization has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its abundance and potential as a renewable organic carbon resource to produce a variety of value-added chemicals and fuel additives. Catalytic upgrading of lignin faces challenges due to its complex structure and an active catalyst with selective surface properties is needed to break the stable C–O and C–C interunit linkages. In the present work, we developed a series of multifunctional Ru/NbOPO₄/TiO₂ catalysts with varying surface acidic properties and explored their potential upon hydrogenolysis of lignin model compound eugenol. Textural and surface acidic properties of the prepared materials were studied by means of different techniques such as N₂-physisorption, NH₃-TPD, XRD, SEM-EDS, Raman spectra, FT-IR, and TEM. Our catalytic results revealed synergistic role of acid and metal sites upon catalyst performance, whereupon high yields of hydrocarbons (86.9–100 wt.%) were obtained with selective cleavage of the methoxy and hydroxy groups under milder conditions. A kinetic study further identified the reaction mechanism and determined a rate law and partial reaction orders. This research advances the understanding of catalyst design for upgrading of the lignin or lignin monomers into value added chemicals. and on the other hand, contributes to sustainable development by maximizing biomass usage and providing environmentally friendly alternatives in renewable energy.

Original language	English
Article number	115177
Journal	Molecular Catalysis
Volume	582
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mcat.2025.115177
Publication status	Published - Jul 2025
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

This work is part of activities at the Technical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Chemical-Biological Centre, Umeå University, Sweden as well as the Johan Gadolin Process Chemistry Centre at Åbo Akademi University in Finland. The research was funded by the Bio4Energy programme and Wallenberg Wood Science Center under auspices of Alice and Knut Wallenberg Foundation. The FT-IR measurements were performed at the Vibrational Spectroscopy Core Facility (ViSp), Chemical Biological Centre (KBC), Umeå University. The Swedish NMR centre at Umeå University is acknowledged for technical support. The Umeå Core Facility for Electron Microscopy (UCEM-NMI node) at the Chemical Biological Centre (KBC), Umeå University, is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks also go to Dr. William Siljebo for technical support with the reactor setup.

Keywords

Eugenol
Hydrocarbons
Hydrodeoxygenation
Lignin
Niobium oxyphosphate
Supported solid acid catalysts

Access to Document

10.1016/j.mcat.2025.115177Licence: CC BY

1-s2.0-S2468823125003621-mainFinal published version, 12.3 MBLicence: CC BY

https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe202601133341

Cite this

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title = "Synergistic catalyst Ru/NbOPO4/TiO2 for selective hydrodeoxygenation of phenolics towards unlocking lignin's potential",

abstract = "Lignin valorization has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its abundance and potential as a renewable organic carbon resource to produce a variety of value-added chemicals and fuel additives. Catalytic upgrading of lignin faces challenges due to its complex structure and an active catalyst with selective surface properties is needed to break the stable C–O and C–C interunit linkages. In the present work, we developed a series of multifunctional Ru/NbOPO4/TiO2 catalysts with varying surface acidic properties and explored their potential upon hydrogenolysis of lignin model compound eugenol. Textural and surface acidic properties of the prepared materials were studied by means of different techniques such as N2-physisorption, NH3-TPD, XRD, SEM-EDS, Raman spectra, FT-IR, and TEM. Our catalytic results revealed synergistic role of acid and metal sites upon catalyst performance, whereupon high yields of hydrocarbons (86.9–100 wt.\%) were obtained with selective cleavage of the methoxy and hydroxy groups under milder conditions. A kinetic study further identified the reaction mechanism and determined a rate law and partial reaction orders. This research advances the understanding of catalyst design for upgrading of the lignin or lignin monomers into value added chemicals. and on the other hand, contributes to sustainable development by maximizing biomass usage and providing environmentally friendly alternatives in renewable energy.",

keywords = "Eugenol, Hydrocarbons, Hydrodeoxygenation, Lignin, Niobium oxyphosphate, Supported solid acid catalysts",

author = "Dinh, \{Van Minh\} and Giacomo Gorza and Ajaikumar Samikannu and Konwar, \{Lakhya Jyoti\} and Solomon Tesfalidet and Shokat Sarmad and Paolo Canu and Mikkola, \{Jyri Pekka\}",

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AU - Dinh, Van Minh

AU - Gorza, Giacomo

AU - Samikannu, Ajaikumar

AU - Konwar, Lakhya Jyoti

AU - Tesfalidet, Solomon

AU - Sarmad, Shokat

AU - Canu, Paolo

AU - Mikkola, Jyri Pekka

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