Abstract:
Bio-ethanol plant derived crude lignin was utilized in the synthesis of carbon catalysts for the conversion of
xylose in acid pretreatment liquid (APL, another by-product of bio-ethanol plant) into furfural. Also, xylose
dehydration to furfural by carbon catalysts carried out in water-MIBK biphasic system showed a maximum yield
of 60% furfural. In addition, a carbon catalyst modified with 1 N H2SO4 was found to be highly active as concentrated acids reported earlier in the open literature. Only a small part of the total crude lignin from the bioethanol plant was utilized in this manner. Further research is necessary on the valorization of remaining crude lignin waste.
