Catalysts for Biomass Conversions and Hydrogen Productions

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 789

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
Interests: heterogeneous catalysis; clean energy; biofuel production; biomass conversions; hydrogen productions; nonthermal plasma

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomass, as a renewable and sustainable resource, has garnered significant attention in the global quest for alternative energy solutions. The conversion of biomass into valuable chemicals and fuels, along with the production of hydrogen, is a key area of research that holds promise for reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and mitigating environmental issues. However, the efficiency and selectivity of these processes are often limited by the performance of the catalysts used. This special issue aims to compile cutting-edge research on catalysts that can enhance the conversion of biomass and the production of hydrogen. We invite submissions that cover the development of novel catalysts, mechanistic studies, and the application of advanced characterization techniques to understand and improve catalytic performance. Contributions that highlight innovative approaches, such as the use of nanomaterials, composite catalysts, and biocatalysts, are particularly encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Hua Song
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • biomass conversion
  • hydrogen production
  • catalysts
  • renewable energy
  • sustainability

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

23 pages, 1042 KB  
Review
Acid-Catalyzed Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass: Feed-Stock-Dependent Reactivity, Kinetics, and Xylose-Selective Catalytic Performance
by Gyungmin Kim, Ben Nadeau and Hua Song
Catalysts 2026, 16(5), 433; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16050433 - 7 May 2026
Viewed by 451
Abstract
The transition to renewable carbon resources has positioned lignocellulosic biomass as a key feedstock for sustainable fuel and chemical production; however, its intrinsic recalcitrance limits efficient conversion. Dilute acid pretreatment functions as a homogeneous Brønsted acid catalytic system that selectively depolymerizes hemicellulose and [...] Read more.
The transition to renewable carbon resources has positioned lignocellulosic biomass as a key feedstock for sustainable fuel and chemical production; however, its intrinsic recalcitrance limits efficient conversion. Dilute acid pretreatment functions as a homogeneous Brønsted acid catalytic system that selectively depolymerizes hemicellulose and disrupts lignin–carbohydrate complexes, while competing with consecutive sugar dehydration reactions, thereby enhancing downstream processing. This review presents a feedstock-specific analysis of acid catalyzed biomass deconstruction across agricultural residues, woody biomass, and energy crops, with xylose yield employed as a kinetically and mechanistically relevant descriptor of catalytic performance. By correlating proton activity, reaction severity, diffusion constraints, lignin chemistry, and mineral interference with observed conversion behavior, the work establishes a structure–reactivity–performance framework for biomass dependent hydrolysis. Particular attention is given to competing dehydration and condensation pathways that reduce pentose selectivity and generate fermentation inhibitors. The analysis identifies optimal severity windows for maximizing catalytic efficiency while suppressing degradation reactions and provides guidance for feedstock-tailored pretreatment and next-generation acid catalytic systems and reactor configurations in integrated biorefineries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysts for Biomass Conversions and Hydrogen Productions)
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