Valorization of cellulose over metal supported mesoporous materials

Hydrolytic hydrogenation of bleached birch (betula) kraft pulp from a Finnish pulp mill into sugars and sugar alcohols was carried out in liquid phase in a batch mode under 20 bar of hydrogen at 458K over metal supported mesoporous materials. Proton form of MCM-48 mesoporous material along with Pt on this support and Ru on carbon was tested. The conversion of cellulose and xylans present in the pulp varied depending on type of active sites, their number and metal. The yields of the main products, e. g. sugars, sugar alcohols and furfurals (xylose, glucose, xylitol, sorbitol, furfural, furfuryl alcohol and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural), varied depending on active sites, acidity, presence of metal and structure of the mesoporous material. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.