Recent Advancements in Catalytic Thermochemical Conversions of Biomass into Biofuels: A Comprehensive Review

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The expeditious increase in population has led to prioritizing the use of biological sources as biofuels. The biofuels have been converted into different fuels by the virtue of green and sustainable approach. Other than the conventional sources of raw materials, specialized energy crops, some varieties of algae, seaweed and microalgae have been reported to be potential sources of biofuels. In recent years, various methods of conversion of organic matter into biofuels have been reported. High energy investment along with the added cost of solvent or catalyst is included in the thermochemical methods. Meanwhile, the biochemical route suffers from the drawbacks of lengthy cycle period and comparatively reduced efficiency in the bulk breakdown of the recalcitrant biomass. Hydrothermal routes have been employed to improve the overall efficiency of the biochemical process. The integration of thermochemical and biochemical routes also may lead to inhibition of microorganisms by the catalysts or mediated solvents. This review paper focuses on the recent catalytic methods for the conversion of biomass into biofuels namely biodiesel along with the pros and cons of the methods.