Upgrading of tall fescue grass pyrolytic boliquid and catalytic valorization of the biofurfural obtained

Abstract

The production of added value products following catalytic hydrogenation reactions of bioliquids was studied. These bioliquids were obtained from the pyrolysis of raw and acid-treated (H3PO4) Tall Fescue (Fescue arundinacea) waste. Before the pyrolytic test, the biomass samples were analyzed by a micro thermogravimetric analysis coupled with FTIR spectroscopy (TGA-IR), which enables the chemical identification of functional groups of gaseous molecules originated by solid/gas transformations. From these results, the pyrolysis temperature was selected, and bench scale pyrolysis reactions were carried out. The pyrolysis bioliquids showed high furfural concentration, 46 and 70 % for fescue and acid washed fescue, respectively. The bioliquid with the highest furfural concentration was catalytically hydrogenated in aqueous phase. A batch reactor was employed, with Ru/C and Ru−Sn/C catalysts to produce high added value alcohols.