第326回触媒化学研究センターコロキウム
Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as
Efficient Solid Catalysts for Biomass Conversion
Associate Professor Kevin C.-W. Wu (NationalTaiwan University, Taiwan)
2013年7月11日（木）13：30—15：00
Seminar Room C, Sousei Hall, Hokkaido University（創成科学研究棟4階セミナー室C）
http://www.cat.hokudai.ac.jp/access.html
In this presentation, I will introduce the successful synthesis of multi-functionalized mesoporous silica
nanoparticles (MSNs) as an effective, reliable, and re-usable solid catalysts for cellulosic and microalgae
biomass conversion. For cellulosic biomass conversion, I will introduce our enzyme-assisted catalytic
system by using Fe3O4 nanoparticle-embedded mesoporous silica nanoparticles as recyclable hosts forimmobilization of various enzymes. For the first time, a carboxyl group functionalized mesoporous silica
nanoparticles with large pore size of 40 nm were synthesized and used to chemically link cellulase. The
proposed cellulase-assisted biocatalyst exhibits a high efficiency (over 80%) of cellulose-to-glucose
conversion. In addition, we have demonstrated such enzyme-immobilized Fe3O4@MSNs can be used formulti-step cellulose-to-glucose-to-fructose sequent conversion in an aqueous solution. A high fructose
yield up to 50%, which is the same yield when using free enzyme, could be achieved. For chemicalassisted catalytic system, we demonstrated the synthesis of MSNs with both acid and ionic liquid groups.
Such bi-functionalized MSN solid catalysts have enhanced the production of HMF from fructose
dehydration in mild condition using DMSO as solvent. The kinetics study has indicated that our bifunctionalized MSN could accelerate fructose dehydration by reducing activation energy. In addition, wealso demonstrated the functionalization of MSN with acid, base, and both acid and base groups. The
functionalized MSN-based catalysts have showed enhanced catalytic efficacy toward cellulosic
conversion including fructose-to-HMF dehydration, glucose-to-fructose isomerization, and cellobiose-toglucose hydrolysis. The bi-functionalized MSN enhanced the yields of glucose and HMF directed
converted from cellulose, indicating the cooperative catalytic ability. Through the combination of enzymeassisted and chemical-assisted catalytic systems, various functionalized MSNs were used for a sequent
reaction of cellulose-to-glucose-to-fructose-to-HMF with the aim of achieving highest yield of final
product. Finally, I will also introduce the application of functionalized MSNs in the production of biodiesel
converted from microalgae.

問合せ先： Associate Professor Kenji Hara (hara@cat.hokudai.ac.jp/011-706-9136)
Kevin Wu received his PhD from The University of Tokyo, Japan, in 2005. From April 2005 to September 2006,
he worked on the orientational control of 2D hexagonal mesoporous thin films with Prof. Kazuyuki Kuroda(Waseda University, Japan) as a post-doc. From October 2006 to July 2008, he was in Prof. Victor S.-Y. Lin’sgroup (Iowa State University, U.S.A.) as a post-doc. He was appointed as Assistant Professor at theDepartment of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, in August 2008. He was promoted as
Associate Professor in August 2012. His current research interest is the synthesis of functionalized porous
inorganic nanoparticles for biomedical and energy-related applications.

326th Catalysis Research Center (CRC) Colloquium