Hammadi El Farissi, Anass Choukoud, Achraf El Kasmi, Bouchaib Manoun, Francesco Cacciola, Tarik Chafik, Manuel García Pérez
The exploration of catalytic influences on biomass pyrolysis for bio-oil production encompasses zeolites, metal oxides, and metallic salts. Zeolites, notably ZSM-5, play a pivotal role in enhancing monoaromatic compound production, with modifications addressing concerns related to deactivation. Metal oxides like CaO and MgO exhibit varied properties, impacting ketone formation, deacidification, and overall product yields. Additionally, metallic salts, such as nickel and iron salts, are studied for their catalytic impact on gas, biochar, and bio-oil yields. These investigations underline the nuanced effects of catalysts on bio-oil composition, quality, and calorific value, highlighting the importance of selecting tailored catalysts for optimizing pyrolysis processes. Developing pyrolysis technology from lignocellulosic biomass offers promise for energy diversification and carbon emission mitigation. Enhancing bio-oil production is crucial with abundant low-quality feedstock and high product demand. Understanding the conversion process's complexity, including biomass structure and reactions, is vital for designing cost-effective pyrolysis processes. This review manuscript discusses biomass structure, pyrolysis behaviors, the impact of process parameters, and pretreatment techniques. Advanced catalytic pyrolysis is emphasized for selective product production, including co-pyrolysis with polymers to improve yield and quality. Challenges and future research directions for effective pyrolysis are also addressed, paving the way for significant breakthroughs.