Carbonaceous Catalysts from Biomass

Abstract

The recent interest in utilizing biomass as a sustainable precursor for carbonaceous catalysts has resulted in a variety of studies with different chemical reactions, which will be reviewed herein. Biomass is often py-rolyzed to biochar and then may be further processed to activated car-bon. Both the biochar and activated carbon can be used as carbona-ceous catalysts, potentially with functionalization to carbocatalysts. This chapter will summarize work to date on these biomass derived catalysts with comparison to catalysts from other carbon sources, and/or other materials, and with a perspective on their use in the future. Specific top-ics include the emergence of biomass derived carbonaceous catalysts as base catalysts utilizing their natural ash alkali content, as functionalized acid or base carbocatalysts for biodiesel production, as gasification cata-lysts, and as catalysts for the electro-Fenton reaction. In addition, suita-ble biomass feedstocks, their properties and the properties of the pre-pared catalysts are reviewed.