Porous ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst modified with sulfonic acid functional groups for hydrolysis of biomass

A porous sulfonated ZSM-5 zeolite has been successfully synthesized by grafting sulfonic acid groups on the surface and/or the pores. Structural properties of the mesoporous HSO 3 -ZSM-5 zeolite are characterized by XRD, IR, SEM, BET, and NH 3 -TPD. Catalytic performance of the sulfonated ZSM-5 in biomass hydrolysis, an important process for production of useful sugar for chemical industry, is investigated. Possessing strong acid groups HSO 3 , the as-obtained catalyst shows high catalytic activity and high efficiency in the hydrolysis of cellulosic pulp and corncob. Moreover, this catalyst can be reused impressively for several times with no significant loss in catalytic activity.