(48h) Selectively Activating the C=O Bond of Furfural Using Metal Carbide and Bimetallic Surfaces

Selectively activating the C=O bond of furfural is crucial for converting this important biomass-derived molecule to value-added fuels and chemicals such as 2-methylfuran and furfuryl alcohol. In this work, molybdenum carbide (Mo₂C) and Pt-based bimetallic surfaces were investigated in terms of their ability to selectively activate the C=O bond of furfural using surface science techniques.

The Mo₂C surface was found to selectively cleave the C=O bond of furfural to produce 2-methylfuran by the temperature programmed desorption (TPD) experiments. Results from surface vibrational spectroscopy showed strong interaction between the carbonyl group of furfural and the Mo₂C surface. These results indicate the potential application of Mo₂C as a selective catalyst for the hydrodeoxygenation of biomass-derived oxygenates.

On the other hand, Ni/Pt(111) bimetallic surfaces were studied in terms of their ability to hydrogenate furfural to make furfuryl alcohol. However, the TPD experiments showed that these surfaces mainly decomposed furfural to produce CO and H₂. Surface vibrational spectroscopy revealed that although furfural preferentially adsorbed onto Ni/Pt(111) surfaces through the carbonyl group, the binding energies of furfural on these surfaces were too strong for hydrogenation to occur. Instead furfural undergoes the reforming pathway to produce CO, H₂and atomic carbon.

The combined results on carbide and bimetallic surfaces demonstrate the possibility of selecting different catalytic surfaces for different routes of biomass conversion.