Fast pyrolysis of cellulose with solid acid catalysts for levoglucosenone

• The metal oxides influence on the pyrolytic behavior of cellulose.
• Solid acid efficiently promoted production of levoglucosenone.
• The activity of zirconia-impregnated sulfuric acid was increased by calcination.
• Solid super-acid can increase the yield of levoglucosenone.

Various metal oxides, such as zirconia, titania, and alumina, were screened as solid acid catalysts in the fast pyrolysis of cellulose for levoglucosenone production. The liquid yields were affected by the properties of the catalyst, and an increase in levoglucosenone was observed with the addition of mesoporous metal oxides. Good catalytic properties were observed for anatase titanium oxide with an optimum surface area and pore diameter resulting in a levoglucosenone yield that was as much as 4.98%. The activities of calcined sulfated zirconia increased substantially compared to zirconia-impregnated sulfuric acid without calcination. In the presence of solid super-acid SO42−/ZrO2, cellulose produced levoglucosenone in a 7.25% yield.