Functionalized silica and titania nanocatalysts for sustainable chemicals

Biomass represents, nowadays, one of the most interesting alternatives to the fossil source for chemicals and energy. Both components of biomass (cellulosic and triglycerides part) were used as starting materials for the achievement of sustainable chemicals and fuels by the use of suitable functionalization of solid nanocatalysts. In this presentation, the design, synthesis and application of the nanomaterials follow the principles of circular chemistry by using waste materials, green solvents and recycling of the material. Moreover, particular attention is due to the efficiency and sustainability of all the chemical processes. In particular, different types of functionalized silica or titania catalysts are applied to the biomass exploitation, both to production of biofuels and for the obtainment of added-value products such as HMF, GVL or diols. As concern the functionalization of support, both with acid organic frameworks and with metals catalytic functions are being considered. Moreover, the surface and structural properties of the catalysts analyzed by several techniques, allowed to correlate their catalytic performances with their physical and chemical properties.