生物炭催化制备酚类From single component to real biomass: insights into phenolic formation via N-doped biochar-catalyzed pyrolysis experiment and theoretical calculation
星期四, 4 6 月, 2026From single component to real biomass: insights into phenolic formation via N-doped biochar-catalyzed pyrolysis experiment and theoretical calculation
Recently, Mr. Xuan Tao, supervised by Associate Professor Wei Chen, published a study on the catalytic production of phenolics from biomass using nitrogen‑doped biochar in the international journal Bioresource Technology (Q1, IF = 9.7).
In this study, a high-performance N-doped lignin-based biochar catalyst (LBC) was synthesized from enzymatic hydrolysis lignin via low-temperature synchronous pyrolysis, activation, and ammoniation. The catalyst exhibited a large specific surface area and abundant surface O- and N-containing functional groups, with pyrrolic-N serving as the dominant Lewis basic site.
Comparisons between ex-situ catalytic pyrolysis and control experiments show that LBC enhanced gas production and upgraded bio-oil quality. Lignin was verified as the primary source of phenolics, with the total phenolic content reaching up to 60%, and the catalyst increased the proportion of monophenols in bio-oil. For holocellulose, catalytic conversion nearly doubled the phenolic content in bio-oil to approximately 10%. In catalytic pyrolysis of real biomass, bio-oil from bamboo sawdust achieved the highest phenolic selectivity of up to 54%, which was positively correlated with lignin content. Synergistic effects among multiple components in real biomass promoted the selective production of phenolics within a specific content range. Catalyst deactivation during volatile upgrading was mainly attributed to coke deposition and the loss of active sites.
Combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, this study clarified the mechanism of phenolic formation from lignin via side-chain cleavage and demethoxylation, and proposed a feasible pathway for phenolic production from anhydrosugars generated during holocellulose pyrolysis through “heterocyclic isomerization” with a relatively low energy barrier. This work provides in-depth insights into the catalytic role of nitrogen-doped biochar and the conversion pathways of biomass components, offering technical and theoretical support for the efficient production of high-value-added phenolics from biomass. Publication:
X Tao, H Jin, X Wang, X Shi, S Gao, L Xu, W Chen*, Z Fang, From single component to real biomass: insights into phenolic formation via N-doped biochar-catalyzed pyrolysis experiment and theoretical calculation. Bioresource Technology, 2026, 457, 134996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2026.134996
硕士生陶璇提出掺氮生物炭催化生物质原料热解的调控与组分转化机制见解
近日，硕士生陶璇在陈伟副教授指导下，在国际学术期刊《Bioresource Technology》（Q1, IF=9.7）上发表了掺氮生物炭催化生物质制备酚类化合物的研究成果。
掺氮生物炭催化对生物质及其组分热解制备酚类化合物的影响
Effects of nitrogen-doped biochar catalysis on the preparation of phenolic compounds via pyrolysis of biomass and its components
该研究以酶解木质素为原料，通过低温同步热解‑活化‑氨化制备出高性能氮掺杂木质素基生物炭催化剂（LBC）。该催化剂比表面积大、表面含氧和含氮官能团丰富，其中以吡咯氮为最主要的路易斯碱性位点。
非原位催化热解与对照实验对比发现，LBC可提升产气与优化生物油品质。研究证实木质素是酚类主要来源，总的酚类化合物的含量占比可达60%，催化剂增加了生物油中的单酚类化合物的含量；对于全纤维素，催化后生物油中酚类化合物占比翻倍至近10%；对真实生物质的催化热解中，从竹屑原料获得的生物油酚类选择性达最高，可达54%，其含量与木质素含量呈正相关。真实生物质多组分协同在特定含量范围内可促进酚类化合物的选择性生产；而挥发分提质过程的催化剂失活主要源于积碳与活性位点流失。
结合DFT计算，研究阐明了木质素侧链断裂与脱甲氧基生成酚类的机理，并提出全纤维素热解产生的脱水糖通过相对低能垒的“杂环异构化”转化为酚类的可能路径。本文深入研究了掺氮生物炭催化作用与生物质组分转化路径，为生物质高效制备高附加值酚类提供了工艺与理论支撑。
详情可见：
X Tao, H Jin, X Wang, X Shi, S Gao, L Xu, W Chen*, Z Fang, From single component to real biomass: insights into phenolic formation via N-doped biochar-catalyzed pyrolysis experiment and theoretical calculation. Bioresource Technology, 2026, 457, 134996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2026.134996.