Stabilization of heterogeneous hydrogenation catalysts for the aqueous-phase reactions of renewable feedstocks

Abstract The conversion of biomass-derived products to fine chemicals and fuels is extremely important for the utilization of renewable energy sources. Water is not only a by-product formed during the hydrogenation of biomass-derived oxygenated chemicals, but also an inexpensive and nontoxic solvent. The instability of solid catalysts for aqueous-phase reactions caused by metal leaching and the collapse of a catalyst support represents a significant challenge. In this work, various catalyst stabilization strategies including the nanospace and interfacial confinements that prevent sintering and leaching of metal nanoparticles as well as modification methods for increasing the support stability are summarized and systemically discussed. In addition, feasible approaches to designing stable and efficient heterogeneous catalysts for aqueous-phase reactions are proposed.