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Catalytic Transformation of Biomass: From Waste to Fuels, Chemicals and...
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Catalytic Transformation of Biomass: From Waste to Fuels, Chemicals and High-Value Products

A special issue of Catalysts (ISSN 2073-4344). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomass Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 4235

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Qiangu Yan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Forest Products Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture, Madison, WI 53726, USA
Interests: lignin-based materials; biomass-derived carbon materials; nanomaterials; catalysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Sijin Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Sustainable Bioproducts, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
Interests: catalysis; applications of biomass-derived materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing global demand for energy and chemicals, coupled with the limited fossil resources and more environmental concerns, necessitates a fundamental shift towards sustainable alternatives. Lignocellulosic biomass, an abundant and renewable carbon source, offers a compelling pathway to displace fossil fuels in the production of a wide array of valuable products. This Special Issue, "Catalytic Transformation of Biomass: From Waste to Fuels, Chemicals and High-Value Products", focuses on the latest developments in the catalytic transformation of biomass, advanced catalytic technologies, and the spectrum of fuels, chemicals, and high-value materials that can be derived from biomass. We seek contributions that explore the critical role of catalysis in enabling this transition, from established heterogeneous solid catalysts to cutting-edge single-atom, magnetic, and (photo)electrocatalytic systems. This Special Issue also addresses advances in catalytic converting complex biomass into versatile platform molecules and end-products, as well as innovation in catalyst design, process integration, and a holistic approach to resource management which is paramount for realizing a truly sustainable and economically viable bioeconomy.

Dr. Qiangu Yan
Guest Editor

Dr. Sijin Guo
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Catalysts is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biomass
  • fuels
  • chemicals
  • high value products
  • catalytic transformation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 3151 KB  
Article
Highly Efficient Hydrogenation of Lignin over Ni-Based Alloy Catalysts
by Xiaolong Chen, Hongli Wu, Peipei Zhang, Weina Zhang, Wei Jia, Pengfei Gao, Guo Tang, Fengyun Ma, Qinglong Xian and Noritatsu Tsubaki
Catalysts 2026, 16(1), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16010084 - 11 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1186
Abstract
Ni-based catalysts have been extensively investigated for lignin hydrogenation; however, they often exhibit limited phenol selectivity and poor catalytic stability. To address these challenges, we introduced Cu as a promoter, resulting in the development of NiCu/ZSM-5 catalysts with significantly enhanced phenol selectivity and [...] Read more.
Ni-based catalysts have been extensively investigated for lignin hydrogenation; however, they often exhibit limited phenol selectivity and poor catalytic stability. To address these challenges, we introduced Cu as a promoter, resulting in the development of NiCu/ZSM-5 catalysts with significantly enhanced phenol selectivity and durability. Characterization studies revealed that Cu species form an alloy structure with Ni, which effectively suppresses the sintering of Ni nanoparticles during the catalytic process, thereby maintaining consistent performance over multiple reaction cycles. Furthermore, the Cu-Ni alloy demonstrated improved hydrogen activation capability while reducing overall H2 uptake, leading to a marked increase in phenol selectivity compared to the Cu-free Ni/ZSM-5 catalyst. As a result, the Ni1Cu1/ZSM-5 (Ni/Cu molar ratio = 1:1) catalyst achieved a lignin conversion of 69.8% and a phenol selectivity of 84.4%, with negligible performance degradation over 8 cycles. The strategy presented in this work may offer an effective approach for enhancing the performance of industrial catalysts in lignin upgrading processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Transformation of Biomass: From Waste to Fuels, Chemicals and High-Value Products)
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17 pages, 9921 KB  
Article
Investigating the Impact of Incorporating Alkali Metal Cations on the Properties of ZSM-5 Zeolites in the Methanol Conversion into Hydrocarbons
by Senlin Dong, Jie Yang and Benoit Louis
Catalysts 2025, 15(10), 987; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15100987 - 15 Oct 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1830
Abstract
Alkali metal-modified M-ZSM-5 zeolites (M: Li+, Na+, K+) were synthesized by cationic exchange and characterized using ICP-MS, XRD, N2 adsorption–desorption, Py-IR and NH3-TPD techniques to evaluate their elemental composition, structure, textural and acidic properties. [...] Read more.
Alkali metal-modified M-ZSM-5 zeolites (M: Li+, Na+, K+) were synthesized by cationic exchange and characterized using ICP-MS, XRD, N2 adsorption–desorption, Py-IR and NH3-TPD techniques to evaluate their elemental composition, structure, textural and acidic properties. In addition, XPS and DFT calculations were employed to study the effects of metal ion doping on the electronic structure and catalytic behavior. The latter catalytic performance was assessed in the methanol-to-olefin (MTO) reaction. The results showed that alkali metal doping facilitated the enhancement of the zeolite structural stability, adjustment of acid density, and increase in the adsorption energy of light olefins onto the active sites. During the reaction, olefin products shifted from Brønsted acid sites to alkali metal sites, effectively minimizing hydrogen transfer reactions. This change in the active site nature promoted the olefin cycle, resulting in higher yields in propylene and butylenes, reduced coke deposition, and prolonged catalyst lifetime. Among all zeolites, Li-exchanged ZSM-5 exhibited the best and extending the catalyst lifetime by 5 h. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Transformation of Biomass: From Waste to Fuels, Chemicals and High-Value Products)
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Review

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32 pages, 18305 KB  
Review
Advances in Thermochemical/Catalytic Conversion Technologies for Co-Processing of Biomass and Municipal Solid Wastes
by Yujian Wu, Wenwen Liu, Linhong Xie, Leihe Cai, Haowei Li, Shengxian Xian, Zheng Liang, Qing Xu and Chunbao Xu
Catalysts 2026, 16(4), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16040366 - 18 Apr 2026
Viewed by 782
Abstract
Thermochemical/catalytic co-processing of biomass and solid wastes is a promising route for waste valorization, low-carbon energy recovery, and the co-production of fuels, chemicals, and carbon materials. Conventional pathways, including pyrolysis, gasification, liquefaction, and carbonization, provide the basic framework for mixed-feed conversion. Emerging routes, [...] Read more.
Thermochemical/catalytic co-processing of biomass and solid wastes is a promising route for waste valorization, low-carbon energy recovery, and the co-production of fuels, chemicals, and carbon materials. Conventional pathways, including pyrolysis, gasification, liquefaction, and carbonization, provide the basic framework for mixed-feed conversion. Emerging routes, such as flash Joule heating, microwave-assisted conversion, plasma processing, supercritical water treatment, solar-driven systems, and machine-learning-assisted optimization, further expand opportunities for process intensification and selective upgrading. Owing to feedstock complementarity, including hydrogen donation from plastics, catalytic effects of ash minerals, and interactions among reactive intermediates, co-processing can enhance deoxygenation, hydrogen generation, aromatization, and carbon utilization. Major challenges remain, however, including feedstock heterogeneity, reactor scale-up, catalyst stability, and the limited transferability of laboratory-scale synergy to realistic waste streams. Future progress should therefore focus on continuous validation, mechanistic clarification, and integrated techno-economic, life-cycle, and data-driven assessments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalytic Transformation of Biomass: From Waste to Fuels, Chemicals and High-Value Products)
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