Catalytic Valorisation of Biomass-Derived Levulinic Acid to Biofuel Additive γ-Valerolactone: Influence of Copper Loading on Silica Support

γ-valerolactone (GVL) is a crucial chemical feedstock used in the production of fuel additives, renewable fuels, and fine chemicals alternative to petroleum-based solvents and chemicals, supporting the transition to sustainable energy solutions. It is promptly acquired by hydrogenating levulinic acid (LA) in a gaseous or liquid phase with a homogeneous or heterogeneous catalyst using a variety of recognized catalytic processes. Herein, this work focuses on the use of silica-supported copper (Cu/SiO2) catalysts for the gas-phase hydrogenation of LA to GVL under mild reaction conditions. The study analyzes how copper loading can affect the catalytic activity of the Cu/SiO2, while the flow rate of LA, time-on-stream, reaction temperature, and LA concentration affect the catalytic efficiency. The SiO2 support’s various Cu loadings are crucial for adjusting the catalytic hydrogenation activity. One of the studied catalysts, a 5 wt% Cu/SiO2 catalyst, demonstrated ~81% GVL selectivity with ~78% LA conversion and demonstrated stability for ~8 h while operating at atmospheric pressure and temperature (265 °C) and 0.5 mL/h of LA flow rate. The ability to activate hydrogen, high amount of acidic sites, and surface area were all discovered to be advantageous for increased GVL selectivity.