Advanced Catalysts for Biomass Pyrolysis

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 388

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh 21911, Saudi Arabia
Interests: biomass energy; thermochemical processes; catalytic cracking

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The growing demand for sustainable energy and chemicals has driven significant interest in biomass pyrolysis as a promising method to convert renewable feedstocks into biofuels, bio-oils, and value-added chemicals. Unlike conventional pyrolysis, catalytic approaches enable precise control over reaction pathways, allowing the selective production of desired compounds while suppressing unwanted byproducts. The efficiency and selectivity of pyrolysis processes heavily depend on the catalysts employed, which play a critical role in cracking, deoxygenation, and upgrading intermediate products. Developing high-performance catalysts—ranging from zeolites and metal oxides to supported noble metals and carbon-based materials—is essential to enhance product yields, improve thermal stability, and reduce undesirable byproducts like coke and tar.

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the design, characterization, and application of catalysts tailored for biomass pyrolysis. Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following: novel catalytic materials, mechanistic insights into catalytic pyrolysis, catalyst deactivation and regeneration strategies, and the integration of catalytic pyrolysis with downstream processes. We welcome original research, reviews, and perspectives that address challenges and opportunities in this field, fostering innovation for a sustainable bioeconomy. Contributions from interdisciplinary researchers will provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the art and future directions in catalytic biomass pyrolysis, supporting the transition toward greener energy solutions.

If you would like to submit papers for publication in this Special Issue or have any questions, please contact the in-house Editor, Mr. Ives Liu (ives.liu@mdpi.com).

Prof. Dr. Faisal Abnisa
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • biomass catalytic pyrolysis
  • high-performance catalysts
  • catalyst regeneration
  • biomass conversion
  • biomass-to-fuels
  • catalytic thermal conversion
  • bio-oil upgrading
  • renewable fuels
  • reaction mechanisms

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

35 pages, 3095 KB  
Review
Biomass Conversion to Value-Added Chemicals and Fuels Using Natural Minerals as Catalysts or Catalytic Supports
by Sotiris Lycourghiotis and Eleana Kordouli
Catalysts 2025, 15(11), 1006; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal15111006 (registering DOI) - 23 Oct 2025
Abstract
Biofuels and value-added chemicals can be produced using biomass. These products can substitute the corresponding petroleum-based ones, reducing the carbon footprint, ensuring domestic production, and minimizing/exploiting organic wastes in a circular economy philosophy. Natural mineral-based catalysts seem to be a promising, eco-friendly, and [...] Read more.
Biofuels and value-added chemicals can be produced using biomass. These products can substitute the corresponding petroleum-based ones, reducing the carbon footprint, ensuring domestic production, and minimizing/exploiting organic wastes in a circular economy philosophy. Natural mineral-based catalysts seem to be a promising, eco-friendly, and low-cost approach for biomass valorization. This article attempts to highlight the potential of natural mineral-based catalysts for various processes targeting the above valorization. Natural zeolites and clays can be used as catalysts/CO2 adsorbents and catalytic supports in various biorefinery processes (pyrolysis, gasification, hydrothermal liquefaction, esterification/transesterification, hydrotreatment, cracking, isomerization, oxidation, condensation, etc.). Acid/base, redox, and textural properties of these materials are key factors for their catalytic performance and can be easily regulated by suitable treatments, like calcination, acid/base-washing, metal impregnation, doping, etc., which are discussed in this article. The application of natural minerals in biorefinery processes makes them greener, cost-effective, and easily scalable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Catalysts for Biomass Pyrolysis)
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