Conversion of Lignocellulosic Materials: combined use of ultrasound and solid catalysts

In this paper, we present the results obtained from catalytic degradation of cellulose with solid Fenton-type catalysts alone or combined with ultrasound. For the tests of degradation has been used microcrystalline cellulose commercially available from Aldrich. The reaction was conducted under magnetic stirring at 80 ° C and atmospheric pressure. The two different solid Fenton-type catalysts were an iron-based pillared clay (Fe/Al-PILC) prepared by pillaring procedure reported elsewhere and a Fe-ZSM5 prepared by ion exchange. The experiments in presence of ultrasounds were performed in a sonoreactor by Undatim Ultrasonics S.A. The results evidence that ultrasounds promote the degradation of cellulose and the combination of ultrasound and Fenton type oxidation seems to be more efficient than the two treatments alone.