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报告题目：Bimetallic Ni-Co and Ni-Cu mesoporous catalytic materials for selective lignin depolymerization into simple phenolic substances with isopropanol as the H-donating solvent
报告时间：2025-09-29 15:00
报告人： Prof. Ahmad Zuhairi Abdullah
Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus
报告地点：卢嘉锡楼202报告厅
转播地点：翔安校区能源材料大楼3号楼会议室2，漳州校区生化主楼307教室
报告摘要：
Lignocellulosic biomass contains lignin, a complex aromatic and oxygenated polymer. One promising method for its valorization is catalytic depolymerization into phenolic compounds. While monometallic catalysts have been explored for lignin hydrogenolysis, they often suffer from low activity, poor selectivity, and limited conversion due to a lack of synergistic effects. To overcome these limitations, bimetallic catalysts have been investigated for their enhanced performance. This study evaluates Ni-based bimetallic catalysts (20%Ni-10%Co/C and 20%Ni-10%Cu/C) supported on activated carbon and HZSM-5 in isopropanol for lignin depolymerization, comparing them to monometallic counterparts. Characterization techniques including BET, SEM, EDX, and XPS revealed improved physicochemical properties, which translated into better hydrogenolysis activity and hydrogen transfer. Reactions conducted at 250 °C for 4 hours showed that 20%Ni-10%Co/C achieved the highest lignin conversion (94.2%) and monomer yield (53.1 wt.%). This catalyst also demonstrated a lower activation energy (36.1 kJ/mol) and higher turnover frequency (31.6 h⁻¹), indicating superior efficiency. Analytical techniques such as FT-IR, GPC, GC-FID, and GC-MS confirmed effective lignin depolymerization, identifying 20 monomeric products and suggesting a possible reaction mechanism. Ni-Co/HZSM-5 also delivered promising results, with 91.2% lignin conversion and 44.9 wt.% monomer yield—outperforming their monometallic equivalents. The enhanced activity is attributed to the synergistic interaction between Ni and Co, which improved electron transfer, hydrogen transformation, and dispersion on the HZSM-5 support. Overall, this study highlights the advantages of Ni-based bimetallic catalysts, particularly Ni-Co systems, for efficient lignin hydrogenolysis. The findings provide valuable insights into catalyst design and offer a promising route for lignin valorization into high-value phenolic compounds.
报告人简介：
Professor Ts. Dr. ChM. Ahmad Zuhairi Abdullah is a distinguished researcher and academic leader with an impressive track record in chemistry-related areas. He earned his B. Tech (Hons), MSc, and PhD in 1995, 2000, and 2004, respectively. His leadership roles at Universiti Sains Malaysia include serving as Deputy Dean (Industry and Community Network) from 2010 to 2012, Deputy Dean (Research and Postgraduate Studies) from 2013 to 2018, and subsequently, Dean (2022-2024), and was a university senate member (2016-2024). Recognized for his expertise, he holds professional affiliations as a Professional Technologist with the Malaysian Board of Technologists (MBOT), a Fellow of Akademi Sains Malaysia and Institut Kimia Malaysia (IKM), and a Life Member of the Malaysian Oil Scientists and Technologists’ Association (MOSTA). He is a sought-after MBOT accreditation auditor and an external examiner or advisor for numerous academic programs across Malaysian universities, and a panel member to several local ministries in various roles. His research primarily focuses on ordered porous catalytic materials for oleochemical reactions, renewable energy, waste treatment, and waste valorization. With an outstanding scholarly contribution, he has authored nearly 300 refereed journal articles and book chapters, primarily as the lead author, and has played a crucial role as a technical committee member for nearly 200 international scientific conferences worldwide. His expertise has made him a frequent keynote, plenary and invited speaker at prestigious conferences across Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, Iraq, the Philippines, and China. He serves as a research proposal assessor for various ministries and international scientific bodies in the USA, EU, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Poland and Chile, and was a visiting professor to Kyoto University Japan and Huaqiao University China. Beyond academia, he is also a Department of Environment Malaysia expert panelist, assessing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports for major industrial projects, including petrochemical complexes, metal smelting facilities, chemical plants, paper mills, lead-acid battery recycling plants, etc., and provided consultation services to various industries. His exceptional research contributions have earned him the Top Research Scientists Malaysia (TRSM) award in 2014 and a prestigious ranking in the List of the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University (2020-2024). With an h-index of 68 and over 15,000 citations (Scopus), his significant impact on the global research community, particularly in areas related to chemical technologies is clearly acknowledged.
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