Aqueous-Phase Cellulose Hydrolysis over Zeolite HY Nanocrystals Grafted on Anatase Titania Nanofibers

Acid-catalyzed aqueous-phase hydrolysis of cellulose was investigated over zeolite HY nanocrystals grafted on anantase titania nanofibres (HY-TiO2). H-exchanged NaY zeolite nanocrystals of controlled size (40–60 nm) were synthesized and deposited over TiO2 nanofibres prepared by hydrothermal treatment of anatase nanoparticles. The resulting materials were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, NH3-TPD and FT-IR, and evidenced a homogeneous distribution of HY nanocrystals across the TiO2 nanofibres. HY-TiO2 catalysts exhibited higher turnover numbers and selectivity to glucose than large (500 nm to 2 μm) unsupported HY nanoparticles; this performance enhancement is attributed to the greater accessibility of Brønsted acid sites in HY nanocrystals to cellulose particles. The importance of active site accessibility to β-1,4-glycosidic bond cleavage was highlighted by a significant increase in the rates of glucose and cellobiose hydrolysis (versus cellulose) over HY-TiO2-100. Engineering of zeolite particle size is a critical design parameter for the valorization of sterically-challenging cellulosic feedstocks. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]