Preparation of Metal-Loaded ZSM-5 Zeolite Catalyst and Its Catalytic Effect on HMF Production from Biomass

This research work presented the preparation of metal-loading ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst by loading Cu and Cr ions into the ZSM-5 zeolite particles using ion exchange method. Technical conditions of ion exchange processes were investigated to find suitable process for preparation of modified zeolite. The as-obtained zeolite catalyst was then applied for the transformation reaction of biomass-derived glucose into 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF). Glucose hydrolysate that achieved from enzymatic hydrolysis of rice straw was used as feedstock for transformation reaction using Cu-Cr/ZSM-5 catalyst. This metal-loading zeolite exhibited good catalytic activity for lignocellulosic conversion to HMF, a valuable renewable green chemical. The content of loading metals in the zeolite catalyst affected significantly on the HMF yield. Moreover, the influence of transformation conditions such as solvent, temperature, catalyst dosage, and reaction time was investigated. According to the results, the optimum condition leading to the highest yield of HMF of 49.5 +/- 0.5% was established. The as-prepared Cu-Cr/ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst showed impressive performance and can be considered a promising catalyst for the transformation of biomass-derived glucose to HMF.