{
  "abstract": "The valorization of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and coal fly ash (CFA) offers opportunities for more sustainable chemical production. In this study, a silica-rich fraction recovered from CFA (SiFA) was combined with chitosan (CS) and manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4, MFO) to prepare a ternary SiFA/CS/MFO composite using co-precipitation and ionic gelation. The materials obtained at each stage of preparation were comprehensively characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS). Under photocatalytic conditions in acetonitrile, the composite achieved 92.6% HMF conversion with 90.5% selectivity toward 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF). In contrast, thermal catalytic oxidation at 100 °C using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBuOOH) resulted in 99.7% HMF conversion but only 5% DFF selectivity. These results highlight the potential of fly-ash derived silica-based composites for selective photocatalytic valorization of a biomass-derived platform.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "REQUIMTE/LAQV, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal",
    "Earth Science Institute—Porto Pole, Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal",
    "Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Łódź University of Technology, Żeromskiego 116, 90-924 Łódź, Poland",
    "Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Łódź, Pomorska 163/165, 90-236 Łódź, Poland"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Pedro Ângelo Miranda",
      "orcid": "0009-0004-2301-8980"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Marta Monteiro"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Claudia Santos",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1884-9390"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Alexandra Guedes",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6397-3713"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Bruno Valentim",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1463-9126"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Andreia F. Peixoto",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1176-9064"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Clara Rodrigues Pereira",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9224-1917"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Cristina Freire",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1753-8678"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Waldemar Maniukiewicz",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6094-0748"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Iwona Kuźniarska-Biernacka",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0871-7607"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1bcpry0mezk6w.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/molecules31213798",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "1bcpry0mezk6w",
  "issns": [
    "1420-3049"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/21/3798",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2204|Catalysis for Biomass Conversion"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223238414",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-22",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1bcpry0mezk6w.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:42Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/molecules31213798",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/21/3798"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "issn:1420-3049",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Valorization of Coal Fly Ash via a Novel SiFA/Chitosan/MnFe2O4 Composite Photocatalyst for Selective Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Diformylfuran",
  "title_text": "Valorization of Coal Fly Ash via a Novel SiFA/Chitosan/MnFe2O4 Composite Photocatalyst for Selective Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Diformylfuran",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:42Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1bcpry0mezk6w",
  "venue": "Molecules",
  "versions": []
}