Catalytic upgrading of Quercus Mongolica under methane environment to obtain high yield of bioaromatics

This work investigated the impact of pyrolysis medium and catalyst on the production of bio-BTX (benzene, toluene, and xylene) from Quercus Mongolica (Q. Mongolica) via catalytic pyrolysis. Two different pyrolysis media (N₂ and CH₄) and five different zeolite catalysts (HY, HBeta, HZSM-5, 1 wt% Ni/HZSM-5, and 1 wt% Ga/HZSM-5) were considered for the Q. Mongolica pyrolysis. The HZSM-5 yielded more BTX than the HY and HBeta due to its strong acidity. The employment of CH₄ as the pyrolysis medium improved the BTX yield (e.g., 2.7 times higher total BTX yield in CH₄ than in N₂) and resulted in low coke yield (e.g., 5.27% for N₂-pyrolysis and 2.57% for CH₄-pyrolysis) because the CH₄-drived hydrogen simulated a hydropyrolysis condition and facilitated dehydroaromatization reaction. CH₄ also led to direct coupling, Diels-Alder, and co-aromatization reactions during the pyrolysis, contributing to enhancing the BTX yield. The addition of Ga to the HZSM-5 could further increase the BTX yield by means of facilitating hydrocracking/demethylation and methyl radical formation from CH₄ assisting the generation of >C2 alkenes that could be further converted into BTX on acid sites of the HZSM-5.