Low-temperature catalytic decarboxylation of formic and acetic acid over a Ru/TiO2 catalyst: prospects for continuous production of energy-rich gaseous mixturesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5ra08763e

Catalytic decarboxylation is a novel and promising pathway for continuous and efficient conversion of organic wastewaters. Stable conversion of acetic acid to CH 4 and CO 2 mixtures ( T ≥ 225 °C, S p > 80%, 70 h TOS) was demonstrated. Approaches for overcoming catalyst deactivation during production of H 2 -rich gas from formic acid are outlined. Long-term continuous reactor operation demonstrates energy-efficient CH 3 COOH conversion pathway and provides appropriate strategies for avoiding unwanted side-reactions with HCOOH feed.