New fabrication of nonmodel supported catalysts for cellulose to low carbon chemicals with the assistance of mechanochemical abrading

The controllable conversion of cellulose on heterogeneous catalysts is a promising strategy in biomass utilization. However, the catalysts in this field are fabricated by a conventional, calcination/hydrothermal method, both of which are time-consuming, high cost and limit their large-scale applications. In this study, we developed the mechanical force as an auxiliary method to fabricate nonmodel supported catalyst with the assistance of chitosan (CTS). The input kinetic energy facilitated strain refinement and microstructure defects generation by shear force and plastic deformations, which stimulated the metal precursors anchored in situ in the CTS matrix. Based on the interactions between metals (Ni and Sn) and nitrogen atoms, the single metal nanoparticles and intermetallic compounds (NixSny) were well dispersed with 152 mu mol/g of Lewis acid and 91 mu mol/g of base amount by interaction with nitrogen sites. 62.8% of C2,3 polyols were obtained from cellulose on 15%Ni-15%W/CTS catalyst. More importantly, this catalyst prepared by mechanochemical abrading demonstrated perfect stability with less than 2.0 ppm of etched metal cations for the eighth use in acidic hydrothermal conditions. In accordance, the nitrogen sites in the carbon matrix offered strong covalent bonds regarding as anchoring rope for stabilizing Ni species. This work potentially offers a facile but effective method for the development of supported Ni-Sn catalysts with possible large-scale production.