Application of perovskite type oxide LaxCe1−xcoo3 in lignin depolymerization and mono-phenol preparation

This study successfully prepared La_xCe_1−xCoO₃ (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1) series perovskite oxide catalysts by co precipitation, and found that La_0.6Ce_0.4CoO₃ can significantly improve the yield of bio-oil under specific conditions (lignin to catalyst mass ratio of 1 : 2, reaction temperature of 240 °C, time of 10 hours, using methanol and ethanol as solvents). Furthermore, NH₃-TPD, GC-MS, and FTIR analyses revealed the thermal decomposition behavior of key bonding structures such as β-O-4 and C–O–C during the catalytic process, while generating various mono-phenolic products such as guaiacol and 2,6-dimethylphenol. In addition, studies have shown that the physicochemical properties of perovskite type oxide catalysts have a significant impact on the chemical properties of lignin oil. By increasing the acidity of the catalyst, not only can the yield of lignin oil and phenols be improved, but also the yield of carbon can be reduced. More importantly, the catalyst performed well in the test of lignin catalyzed hydrogenation to produce monophenols, significantly improving the conversion rate of lignin and the yield of various monophenols compared to noncatalytic processes.