Enhancing the production of light olefins and aromatics from catalytic fast pyrolysis of cellulose in a dual-catalyst fixed bed reactor

•Total yield of light olefins and aromatics follows ZSM-5 > MCM-41 > CaO > SAPO-34.•Fractional catalytic pyrolysis of CaO or MCM-41 with ZSM-5 or SAPO-34 was proposed.•Maximum yield of light olefins and aromatic is obtained at 15% CaO with 85% ZSM-5.•C2H4 and monocyclic aromatic increased in the addition of CaO and MCM-41. In this study, the effects of a macroporous catalyst (CaO), mesoporous catalyst (MCM-41), and microporous catalysts (ZSM-5 and SAPO-34) on the production of light olefins and aromatics from cellulose catalytic fast pyrolysis were investigated in a dual-catalyst fixed bed reactor. Further the fractional catalytic pyrolysis of MCM-41 or CaO with ZSM-5 or SAPO-34 was explored. The results showed that ZSM-5 was the most efficient catalyst for the formation of light olefins and aromatics followed by MCM-41, CaO and SAPO-34, and no aromatics were found with SAPO-34 only. Moreover, 15% CaO combined 85% ZSM-5 produced the highest yield of light olefins (5.59%) and aromatic (13.42%). The addition of CaO and MCM-41 promoted the selectivity of C2H4 and decreased the production of naphthalene.