Abstract
Two series of mixed oxide catalysts with nominal composition M13-xM2xO4 have been synthesized with non-noble metals, wherein M1=Co and M2=Fe or M1=Cu and M2=Mn, by cost effective co-precipitation method. Each serie consists of 5 catalysts with the cation fractions M2/(M1+M2) of 0.00, 0.33, 0.50, 0.67, 1.00. The catalysts have been characterised using XRD, EDX, N2 physisorption, FT-IR, UV-VIS, TEM and TPR techniques, then employed in the successive oxidation reactions of biomass derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to several value added chemicals, which have a diverse portfolio of applications in various industries, including maleic anhydride (MA), 2,5-furandicarboxaldehyde (DFF), 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (HMFCA), 5-formyl-2-furancarboxylic acid (FFCA) and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), which can serve as an alternative substitute for fossil fuel derived terephthalic acid in the production of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) plastics. The oxidation reaction products of HMF were analyzed by HPLC then kinetics study has been performed. The ultimate goal is not only to investigate the correlations between physicochemical properties and catalytic performances of the aformentioned catalysts on the complex cascade HMF to FDCA oxidation process but also to make a humble contribution to the scientific literature for a sustainable, renewable and greener world.