Scientists from the Materials-Envi Lab at VSB–Technical University of Ostrava and the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN) at Palacký University, in collaboration with international partners, have designed a novel catalyst that efficiently converts biomass into valuable chemicals using only water and oxygen. The results have been published in the journal ACS Catalysis.
“The core of this innovative approach is a catalyst featuring atomically dispersed iron dimers anchored on a graphene-based support. These active sites act as redox-switchable centers, significantly enhancing the reaction efficiency. In pure water, the catalyst achieves 97% conversion of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) with 95% selectivity, outperforming even systems based on precious metals,” said Aristeidis Bakandritsos, the corresponding author of the study.
Key advantages of the new technology include operation in an aqueous environment without the need for organic solvents, the use of earth-abundant iron instead of rare and expensive metals, and at the same time high activity, stability, and recyclability of the catalyst.
The research bridges the principles of bio-inspired catalysis with the sustainable chemical synthesis, opening a pathway toward the environmentally friendly production of biobased polymers and fine chemicals. The newly developed catalyst thus represents a significant step toward greener and more sustainable chemistry based on renewable resources.