Development of heterogeneous catalysts for the biorenewables industry requires catalyst materials that are resistant to hydrothermal degradation. Unlike metal oxides and silica, carbon materials are recalcitrant to hydrothermal conditions. However, for solid-acid sulfonated carbon materials, there are conflicting reports on the stability of the sulfonic-acid groups on the aromatic rings for commercial applications. This work discusses the effects of temperature on the carbon synthesis, the specific chemical structure of the acid group, and proposes a new method for making the acid carbon catalyst to enhance the hydrothermal stability of both the carbon backbone and the acidic functionality.

Jason Anderson Iowa State UniversityNSF Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC) Education: Iowa State University, PhD Chemical EngineeringAmes, IA January 2014South Dakota School of Mines, BSRapid City, SD May 2009