Domenico LicursiUniversità di Pisa | UNIPI · Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry
Domenico Licursi
PhD
Biomass pyrolysis and evaluation of hydrochars/biochars potentialities for environmental/catalytic applications
About
45
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Introduction
Domenico Licursi is a Researcher at the Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa. Domenico does research in Green Chemistry, from the perspective of Industrial Catalysis.
Additional affiliations
April 2015 - April 2016
Publications
Publications (45)
The characterization of the solid residue coming from the acid hydrolysis of giant reed (Arundo Donax L.) herbaceous biomass was performed and compared with the characteristics of two commercial technical lignins, i.e. a soda and a sulphate (kraft) one, in order to ascertain their differences, and thus better address their successive possible appli...
![Figure 6. Reversion reactions of glucose in acid solutions [56].](profile/Anna-Galletti/publication/311482356/figure/fig3/AS:438871512096770@1481646530784/Reversion-reactions-of-glucose-in-acid-solutions-56_Q320.jpg)
Levulinic acid (LA) is one of the top bio-based platform molecules that can be converted into many valuable chemicals. It can be produced by acid catalysis from renewable resources, such as sugars, lignocellulosic biomass and waste materials, attractive candidates due to their abundance and environmentally benign nature. The LA transition from nich...
5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF) is a key bio-based platform for the production of renewable monomers and bio-fuels. However, most of its syntheses are carried out under not sustainable conditions. In this work, the production of HMF from fructose and inulin was investigated following the Green Chemistry principles, adopting aqueous medium, appr...
The chemical characterization of shell and cuticle from Tonda Gentile Romana hazelnut was carried out using analytical pyrolysis in the presence of hexamethyldisilazane followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (Py(HMDS)-GC/MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD). The aim was to acquire a...
Up to now, on the industrial scale, the acid-catalysed hydrothermal conversion of lignocellulosic biomass has
been targeted to the production of levulinic acid (LA), while the lignin fate has been neglected, and its use has
been limited at most to the energy recovery. Now, an integrated investigation of the hydrothermal process for
the synthesis of...
The depletion of fossil resources makes the transition towards renewable ones more urgent. For this purpose, the synthesis of strategic platform-chemicals, such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), represents a fundamental challenge for the development of a feasible bio-refinery. HMF perfectly deals with this necessity, because it can be obtained from...
The transition from fossil resources to renewable ones represents a pressing need. The acidogenic fermentation of biomass-derived ethanol to carboxylic acids represents a novel and smart possibility, opening the way for the production of further value-added bio-products through cascade chemical approaches. In this work, the hydrogenation of commerc...
![Acid properties of NbPO and ZrPO under hydrous conditions [2].](publication/364769834/figure/tbl2/AS:11431281092527797@1666887915444/Acid-properties-of-NbPO-and-ZrPO-under-hydrous-conditions-2_Q320.jpg)
Commercial niobium and synthesized zirconium phosphates were tested as water-tolerant heterogeneous acid catalysts in the hydrothermal conversion of different bio-based substrates. Different acid-catalyzed reactions were performed using biomass-derived model compounds and more complex real lignocellulosic biomasses as the substrate. The conversion...
The cover feature image represents the role of carbon dioxide in the proposed biorefinery scheme based on CO2 capture by lignocellulosic biomass and the use of supercritical CO2 for the efficient pretreatment of giant reed under sustainable reaction conditions. The synergistic combination of supercritical CO2, FeCl3 and surfactant PEG400 allowed to...
This work investigated the catalytic high‐pressure CO2 pretreatment of giant reed. CO2 is a renewable resource; its use does not generate chemical wastes and it can be easily removed and recycled. The effect of the addition of low concentrations of FeCl3 (0.16 wt%) and of PEG 400 (1.0 wt%) on the hemicellulose hydrolysis to xylose and xylo‐oligosac...
Sustainable conversion of biomass feedstocks into valuable bio-fuels and bio-products plays a strategic role within modern industrial catalysis [...]
Hydrolysis and butanolysis of lignocellulosic biomass are efficient routes to produce two valuable bio-based platform chemicals, levulinic acid and n-butyl levulinate, which find increasing applications in the field of biofuels and for the synthesis of intermediates for chemical and pharmaceutical industries, food additives, surfactants, solvents a...
5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), accessible from various feedstocks, represents an important renewable platform-chemical, precursor for valuable biofuels and bio-based chemicals. In this work, the continuous hydrogenation of an aqueous solution of HMF to give strategic monomers, 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan(BHMF) and 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofu...
Alkyl levulinates (ALs) represent outstanding bio-fuels and strategic bio-products within the context of the marketing of levulinic acid derivatives. However, their synthesis by acid-catalyzed esterification of pure levulinic acid, or by acid-catalyzed alcoholysis of furfuryl alcohol, although relatively simple, is still economically disadvantageou...
Nowadays, the solvothermal conversion of biomass has reached a good level of development, and now it is necessary to improve the process intensification, in order to boost its further growth on the industrial scale. Otherwise, most of these processes would be limited to the pilot scale or, even worse, to exclusive academic investigations, intended...
The present investigation represents a concrete example of complete valorization of Eucalyptus nitens biomass, in the framework of the circular economy. Autohydrolyzed-delignified Eucalyptus nitens was employed as a cheap cellulose-rich feedstock in the direct alcoholysis to n-butyl levulinate, adopting n-butanol as green reagent/reaction medium, v...
Lignocellulosic biomass represents one of the most important feedstocks for future biorefineries, being a precursor of valuable bio-products, obtainable through both chemical and biological conversion routes. Lignocellulosic biomass has a complex matrix, which requires the careful development of multi-step approaches for its complete exploitation t...
In recent years, the replacement of fossil resources with renewable ones has received great interest, especially as regards the production of new valuable bio-products and bio-fuels, in order to replace the traditional petroleum-based ones. In this context, the exploitation of waste biomasses into added-value bio-chemicals is strongly encouraged. A...
5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is one of the most important renewable platform-chemicals, a very valuable precursor for the synthesis of bio-fuels and bio-products. In this work, the hydrogenation of HMF to two furan diols, 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) and 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran (BHMTHF), both promising renewable monomers, was i...
5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde is one of the top 12 bio-based chemicals, precursor of renewable monomers and biofuels. This key molecule can be obtained from the dehydration of monosaccharides and polysaccharides. In this work, the synthesis of HMF from fructose and inulin was investigated in the presence of a wide range of metal salts adopting a tr...
Improvement of processes starting from renewable feedstocks to produce chemicals and biofuels up to now derived from fossil carbon feedstocks is paramount to creating environmentally sustainable industrial processes. Guerbet condensation of ethanol to give n-butanol represents a turning point not only respect to the traditional petrochemical “oxo”...
![Figure 1. Recycling tests for LA hydrogenation of: A) [Ru/C + HY]...](profile/Domenico-Licursi-2/publication/326289530/figure/fig1/AS:646681175552002@1531192215398/Recycling-tests-for-LA-hydrogenation-of-A-Ru-C-HY-catalyst-run-26-Table-4-as_Q320.jpg)
A cascade strategy for the catalytic valorization of aqueous solutions of levulinic acid as well as of γ-valerolactone to 2-methyltetrahydrofuran or to monoalcohols, 2-butanol and 2-pentanol, has been studied and optimized. Only commercial catalytic systems have been employed, adopting sustainable reaction conditions. For the first time, the combin...
In recent years, the replacement of fossil resources with renewable ones has focused great interest, expecially as regards the production of new valuable bio-products and bio-fuels, in progressive replacement of the traditional petroleum-based ones.The Waste Management Policy strongly encourages the valorization of waste biomasses into added-value...
Levulinic acid is a platform chemical obtained from acid-catalyzed hydrothermal conversion of cellulose-rich biomass. The low amounts of solid biomass which can be handled in the reactor limit the levulinic acid concentration in the aqueous stream, making the economic viability of the aqueous phase process unsuitable for large scale applications. N...
Eucalyptus globulus wood samples were subjected to preliminary aqueous processing to remove water-soluble extractives and hemicelluloses, and the resulting solid (mainly made up of cellulose and lignin) was employed as a substrate for converting the cellulosic fraction into mixtures of levulinic and formic acid through a sulfuric acid-catalyzed rea...
For the first time, the exploitation of hazelnut shells for the combined production of levulinic acid (LA) and hydrochar was investigated. The optimization of the catalytic hydrothermal treatment was performed both in autoclave and microwave reactor, approaching a maximum LA yield of∼9-12 wt%. Hydrochars recovered with high yield (∼43-47 wt%) were...
Flexible polyurethane foams were prepared from solid waste residue derived from the hydrothermal acid treatment of the Arundo donax L. herbaceous biomass, which produced a very high yield of levulinic acid. An innovative, sustainable, and green liquefaction route was adopted to produce lignin-based flexible polyurethane foams by partially replacing...
5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF) is a biomass-derived intermediate for the sustainable production of monomers and biofuels. However, most of its syntheses are performed under not environmentally and/or economically green conditions. In this work, the dehydration of fructose/inulin to HMF was optimized, employing aqueous medium, high substrate co...
The removal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) both from siloxane transformer oil and hydrocarbon engine oil was investigated through the application of microwave (MW) irradiation and a reaction system based on polyethyleneglycol (PEG) and potassium hydroxide. The influence of the main reaction parameters (MW irradiation time, molecular weight of...
Recycled paper needs a lot of mechanical/chemical treatments for its re-use in the papermaking process. Some of these ones produce considerable rejected waste fractions, such as "screen rejects", which include both cellulose fibers and non-fibrous organic contaminants, or "stickies", these last representing a shortcoming both for the papermaking pr...
With the awareness of the need for optimal and sustainable use of natural resources, hydrothermal treatment
of biomass and biomass waste for energy and resource recovery has received increasing attention. The
hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of a biomass is achieved using water as the reaction medium and applying
mild temperatures (180–250 ° C) und...
The hydrothermal conversion of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) to furfural (FA) and levulinic acid (LA) was investigated in the presence of dilute hydrochloric acid. FA and LA yields were improved by univariate optimization of the main reaction parameters: concentration of the acid catalyst, solid/liquid ratio of the reaction mixture, hydrolysis tempe...
The acid-catalysed ketalization between ethyl levulinate and two different alkyl 1,2-diols (ethylene glycol and 1,2-dodecanediol) was investigated using different acid catalysts, e.g. p-toluensolfonic acid, Amberlyst 70, zeolite H-ZSM-5 and niobium phosphate. Good activity and recyclability were achieved in the reaction with ethylene glycol catalyz...
Today, the sustainable growth of the chemical and energy industries has become an indispensable benchmark of our society and the current development of the industrial sector based on fossil resources must be replaced by an alternative one, linked to renewable resources. By 2030, 30 % of the chemicals and materials production in Europe will be bio-...
La sostituzione delle materie prime fossili con quelle rinnovabili rappresenta una necessità sempre più stringente sia in ambito energetico sia della chimica degli intermedi e dei materiali. Si stima infatti che nel 2030 il 30 % della produzione di composti chimici sarà bio-based. La conversione catalitica dei rinnovabili è un argomento estremament...
A semiquantitative analysis by means of midinfrared FT-IR spectroscopy was tuned for the simultaneous determination of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in industrial crops such as giant reed (Arundo donax L.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Ternary mixtures of pure cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin were prepared and a direct correlati...
Lignocellulosic biomass can be converted by hydrothermal treatments into interesting platform chemicals, such as high energy furan liquids. This route represents a sustainable solution to the increasing demand of these compounds, allowing security of supply and economic advantage, in particular when cheap raw materials or agricultural residues are...
A novel process for the complete and efficient acid-catalyzed exploitation of giant reed (Arundo donax L.) was developed. Acid-catalyzed conversion of the hemicellulose and cellulose fractions allows to obtain furfural (FU) and levulinic acid (LA), two very interesting platform chemicals. The solid residue recovered at the end of the process, that...
The analysis of gas evolving during the pyrolysis of two very different rank coals was studied by using FT-IR spectroscopy.These
coals, coming fromSulcis (Sardinia, Italy) and fromSouth Africa, respectively, were subjected to progressive heating up to 800∘C in
vacuum.The thermal destruction of coal was followed bymonitoring the production of gases...
The hydrothermal conversion of waste biomass to levulinic acid was investigated in the presence of homogeneous acid catalysts. Different cheap raw materials (poplar sawdust, paper mill sludge, tobacco chops, wheat straw, olive tree pruning) were employed as substrates. The yields of levulinic acid were improved by optimization of the main reaction...
Projects
Project (1)
Many new catalytic technologies have been developed for the conversion of biomass feedstocks into valuable biofuels and bioproducts. However, many of these still suffer from several disadvantages, such as weak catalytic performances, harsh reaction conditions, high processing costs, and questionable sustainability, which limit their further applicability/development in the immediate future. In this context, the esterification of carboxylic acids represents a very valuable solution to these problems, requiring mild reaction conditions, and being advantageously integrable with many existing processes of biomass conversion. Many other chemical processes benefit from esterification, such as the synthesis of bio-diesel, which includes mono-alkyl esters of long-chain fatty acids prepared from renewable vegetable oils and animal fats, or that of cellulose esters, mainly acetates, for textile uses. Even pyrolysis bio-oil should be stabilized by esterification to neutralize the acidity of carboxylic acids and moderate the reactivity of other typical biomass-derived compounds, such as sugars, furans, aldehydes, and phenolics. This Special Issue reports the main recent advances in the homogeneous/heterogeneous catalytic conversion of model/real biomass components to ester derivatives, which are extremely attractive for both academic and industrial fields.
