INVESTIGATION OF REACTION CONDITIONS FOR VANADIUM-CATALYZED CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO FORMIC ACID**

Authors

Maria I. Tobon*, Young Harris College, 1 College St., Young Harris, GAFollow
Charles D. Swor Dr., Young Harris College, 1 College St., Young Harris, GAFollow

Abstract

Cellulose and glucose are among the most abundant forms of biomass, and as such, are being sought after as renewable resources for the production of feedstock chemicals and fuels. Formic acid (FA) is one possible organic product that can be derived from these carbohydrates, which can be further converted into useful chemicals such as hydrogen with an appropriate catalyst. Currently, the techniques used in the conversion of biomass into FA require high temperatures (ca. 160 °C) and pressures (ca. 30 atm), and specialized apparatus in order to safely operate under these extreme conditions. However, we have previously found that formic acid can be successfully generated at lower temperatures (ca. 100 °C) and pressures (ca. 10 atm). In this work, we investigated the effect of temperature, pressure, and concentration on the conversion of cellulose and glucose into FA in the presence of sulfuric acid, oxygen, and catalytic amounts of sodium metavanadate (NaVO3).

Acknowledgements

YHC Department of Chemistry

Recommended Citation

Tobon*, Maria I. and Swor, Charles D. Dr. (2020) "INVESTIGATION OF REACTION CONDITIONS FOR VANADIUM-CATALYZED CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO FORMIC ACID**," Georgia Journal of Science, Vol. 78, No. 1, Article 32.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.gaacademy.org/gjs/vol78/iss1/32