biostudies-literatureUnknown13(16)Zhang DCatalytic cracking of phenolic compounds to aromatic hydrocarbons is vital to the utilization of lignin. In this work, pristine amorphous SiO₂-Al₂O₃ was used as a catalyst to produce aromatic hydrocarbons from lignin-derived phenolics by catalytic cracking using methanol as the solvent. These catalysts were characterized by various techniques (XRD, NH₃-TPD, Py-IR, <i>etc.</i>) and evaluated on a fixed bed reactor using guaiacol as a model compound. The effects of reaction temperature, the flow of carrier gas, the molar ratio of guaiacol to methanol, and WHSV were investigated. 33-SA (SiO₂-Al₂O₃ with the SiO₂ content of 33%) exhibited the best catalytic activity due to its high content of Lewis acid sites (168.47 μmol g^-1). Co-feeding with methanol promoted the removal of oxygen atoms and improved the reaction system H/C_eff. Under the optimal conditions of 400 °C, 25 mL min^-1 N₂, a molar ratio of methanol to guaiacol of 25, and WHSV of 8/3 h^-1, the yield of aromatic hydrocarbons reached 57.93%. The deactivating species in the transformation of guaiacol into aromatic hydrocarbons on catalysts were also studied.RSC advances10830-10839https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10074442biostudies-literatureProduction of aromatic hydrocarbons from lignin derivatives by catalytic cracking over a SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst.PMC10074442Yin HZhang DMa LLi SZhang YZhang XZheng QFu PfalseProduction of aromatic hydrocarbons from lignin derivatives by catalytic cracking over a SiO₂-Al₂O₃ catalyst.Catalytic cracking of phenolic compounds to aromatic hydrocarbons is vital to the utilization of lignin. In this work, pristine amorphous SiO₂-Al₂O₃ was used as a catalyst to produce aromatic hydrocarbons from lignin-derived phenolics by catalytic cracking using methanol as the solvent. These catalysts were characterized by various techniques (XRD, NH₃-TPD, Py-IR, <i>etc.</i>) and evaluated on a fixed bed reactor using guaiacol as a model compound. The effects of reaction temperature, the flow of carrier gas, the molar ratio of guaiacol to methanol, and WHSV were investigated. 33-SA (SiO₂-Al₂O₃ with the SiO₂ content of 33%) exhibited the best catalytic activity due to its high content of Lewis acid sites (168.47 μmol g^-1). Co-feeding with methanol promoted the removal of oxygen atoms and improved the reaction system H/C_eff. Under the optimal conditions of 400 °C, 25 mL min^-1 N₂, a molar ratio of methanol to guaiacol of 25, and WHSV of 8/3 h^-1, the yield of aromatic hydrocarbons reached 57.93%. The deactivating species in the transformation of guaiacol into aromatic hydrocarbons on catalysts were also studied.2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Apr2025-04-19T17:30:28.259Z2025-04-19T17:30:28.259ZS-EPMC100744423703341910.1039/d3ra00990d