A 3D porous Fe-MoS2/CMF catalyst for high-efficient catalytic reforming of lignin vapor by microwave irradiation

Improving the yield of target monophenols plays an important role in increasing the economic competitiveness of lignin valorization. In this study, a 3D porous Fe-MoS2/CMF catalyst with nanoflower microstructure was successfully fabricated by a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The catalytic depolymerization of the lignin β-O-4 model showed that Fe-doping increased the efficiency of the catalytic conversion reaction and promoted the cleavage of the β-O-4 ether bond, in agreement with theoretical calculations. Reforming of lignin depolymerization vapor revealed that the Fe-MoS2/CMF catalysts significantly improved the selectivity of phenol (30.01 wt%) and styrene (16.34 wt%) with the decrease of oligomers. Moreover, finite element simulation showed that the Fe-MoS2/CMF catalysts can also enhancing the local thermal effect by creating hot spots on the surface, thereby facilitate the lignin vapor reforming. Consequently, this work provides a promising method for the efficient production of phenol and styrene from lignin using bimetallic nanoarray microwave responsive catalyst.