Tuning Ni-WOx@C Catalysts via Pyrolysis-Driven Structural Evolution for Conversion of Cellulose into Ethylene Glycol

Effective utilization of lignocellulosic biomass as value-added fuels and chemicals is of great significance for achieving the dual goals of sustainable biorefinery and carbon neutrality. Here, Ni-WOx@C catalysts were synthesized for efficiently catalytic conversion of cellulose into ethylene glycol (EG). The catalyst was prepared through a one-step pyrolysis method by using citric acid and SiO 2 as the carbon source and structural template, respectively. A series of controlled experiments demonstrated that the pyrolysis temperature and the particle size of the SiO 2 template significantly affected the physicochemical properties of the catalyst, including the surface morphology, active sites provided by the loaded metals, and the distribution of Lewis acid sites. The optimized catalysts of Ni-WOx@C 600−2 , which was prepared by the pyrolysis at 600 °C with a 2 μm SiO 2 template, delivered the best performance characterized by its high specific surface area (124.86 m 2 /g), well-defined pores, as well as the cooperation between metallic species and Lewis acid sites. Under the optimized reaction conditions (220 °C, 4 MPa H 2 , 3 h), this as-prepared catalyst achieved nearly complete cellulose conversion (> 99%) and EG yield of 60.1%. Generally speaking, the design of Ni-WOx-based catalyst provides new insight for effective catalysis and has considerable application potential in cellulose conversion. Graphical