Enhanced H₂ production through biomass pyrolysis by applying alkaline ceramic lithium cuprate (Li₂CuO₂) as a bifunctional material

Biomass has become an important research topic within different environmental and energy fields. In the present work, glucose (selected as a model) pyrolysis was examined in the presence of lithium cuprate (Li2CuO2) acting as a catalyst and a sorbent. The whole experimental analysis was performed using thermogravimetry, gas chromatography coupled with a catalytic reactor, and gas-phase FTIR spectroscopy. Moreover, solid products were analyzed via X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy. The results indicate that Li2CuO2 can be used as a bifunctional material, where H2 production and carbon oxides (CO and CO2) chemisorption are importantly enhanced during the whole glucose pyrolysis process. In fact, the highest H2 production (196.7 mL gglucose-1) was obtained with a Li2CuO2 : glucose molar ratio of 1 : 5 at 700 degrees C. In addition, cycling experiments showed that this process can be performed several times with or without an oxidative regeneration step. A comparative analysis performed by adding CuO instead of Li2CuO2 confirmed the importance of the presence of lithium as a carbon oxide sorbent and even in promoting catalysis.