One-Pot Conversion of Cellulose to Ethanol Utilizing a Mo/Pt/WOx/Al2O3 Catalyst

Hydrolysis of cellulose to produce ethanol has become an effective way to utilize biological resources, but its large-scale industrial application has been limited. In this study, a one-pot catalytic conversion process for transforming cellulose into ethanol was developed. Meanwhile, multifunctional Mo/Pt/WOx/Al2O3catalysts were prepared by loading nano-alumina (Nano-Al2O3) via a stepwise impregnation method. The influence of catalysts with varying metal ratios on the types of products generated during the cellulose hydrolysis process to ethanol was examined. The catalyst with 0.1% Mo, 2% Pt, and 7.5% W loadings showed the best selectivity. With an ethanol yield of 45.3% after heating at 5 MPa H2and 518 K for 2 h. Nano-Al2O3can provide suitable active sites. The addition of W5+and Mo0increased the surface oxygen vacancy density and enhanced the hydrodeoxidation and metal anchoring capacity of the catalyst. The solid solution structure facilitates electron transfer from W and Mo atoms to Pt atoms, forming electron-rich Ptδ-species, promoting the hydrolysis of cellulose and the formation of ethanol.