Abstract:
The success of integrated biorefinery relies on developing
robust and economical catalytic processes to produce liquid
fuels and value-added chemicals from the waste lignocellulose
biomass. Platform chemicals obtained from biomass are multifunctional molecules, and their upgrading via various catalytic
processes requires active and selective catalysts. Supported
transition metal nanoparticles have been used extensively to
catalyze the upgrading of biomass-derived platform chemicals.
Recent literature studies have focused on understanding the
size-dependent catalytic performances of supported transition
metal nanoparticles and single atoms in biomass-related
chemical transformations. The catalytic behavior of transition
metals depends on their size-dependent geometric and electronic structures, and by controlling the size, the catalytic
behavior can be optimized. Herein, we have reviewed the
synthesis methodologies and characterization techniques of
supported metal nanoparticles of different sizes and supported
single atoms and have summarized several literature examples
employing these catalysts to upgrade biomass-derived platform
chemicals such as; 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, and levulinic acid, into liquid fuels and value-added chemicals.
