Cellulose-derived carbon bearing –Cl and –SO3H groups as a highly selective catalyst for the hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose

Abstract

A solid acid catalyst (HA–CC–SO₃H) was synthesized by the sulfonation of amorphous carbon derived from the carbonization of dilute hydrochloric acid-pretreated microcrystalline cellulose. It was found that Cl⁻ ions are grafted onto the cellulose-derived carbon and affect the composition and structure of the carbon carrier during the carbonization process. The electrons of the aromatic carbons transfer to –Cl and –SO₃H groups, which influence their electronic state. In the cellulose hydrolysis process, the active electronic states make the –Cl groups more liable to form hydrogen bonds with cellulose, and the –SO₃H groups with stronger acidity easily break the glycosidic bonds of cellulose to produce glucose. The HA–CC–SO₃H catalyst exhibits excellent glucose selectivity (95.8%) at a moderate temperature (155 °C) under hydrothermal conditions.