Converting cellulose to lactic acid over Cr-Sn-Beta bimetallic catalyst prepared by flash Joule heating

This study presents an efficient strategy for converting high-boiling solvent (HBS) pretreated cellulose into lactic acid (LA) over a Cr-Sn-Beta bimetallic catalyst synthesized by flash Joule heating (FJH). Ethylene glycol-based HBS pretreatment effectively enriched cellulose content in straw, while the FJH method enabled rapid and uniform metal incorporation. The resulting Cr-Sn-Beta catalyst exhibited a maximum LA yield of 33.54% with a carbon balance of 90.08%, showing high selectivity and catalytic efficiency. The synergistic function of Cr and Sn acid sites was also evaluated. This work provides a promising route for biomass valorization and catalyst design via combined pretreatment and advanced synthesis techniques.