{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,10]],"date-time":"2026-03-10T09:24:42Z","timestamp":1773134682636,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,30]],"date-time":"2024-09-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1727654400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ciencia e Tecnologia","award":["PCIF\/GVB\/0167\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PCIF\/GVB\/0167\/2018"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Energies"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study is focused on the modelling of the production of bio-oil by thermochemical liquefaction. Species Acacia melanoxylon was used as the source of biomass, the standard chemical 2-Ethylhexanol (2-EHEX) was used as solvent, p-Toluenesulfonic acid (pTSA) was used as the catalyst, and acetone was used for the washing process. This procedure consisted of a moderate acid-catalysed liquefaction process and was applied at 3 different temperatures to determine the proper model: 100, 135, and 170 \u00b0C, and at 30-, 115-, and 200-min periods with 0.5%, 5.25%, and 10% (m\/m) catalyst concentrations of overall mass. Optimized results showed a bio-oil yield of 83.29% and an HHV of 34.31 MJ\/kg. A central composite face-centred (CCF) design was applied to the liquefaction reaction optimization. Reaction time, reaction temperature, as well as catalyst concentration, were chosen as independent variables. The resulting model exhibited very good results, with a highly adjusted R-squared (1.000). The liquefied products and biochar samples were characterized by Fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA); scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was also performed. The results show that invasive species such as acacia may have very good potential to generate biofuels and utilize lignocellulosic biomass in different ways. Additionally, using acacia as feedstock for bio-oil liquefaction will allow the valorisation of woody biomass and prevent forest fires as well. Besides, this process may provide a chance to control the invasive species in the forests, reduce the effect of forest fires, and produce bio-oil as a renewable energy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/en17194899","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,30]],"date-time":"2024-09-30T06:39:35Z","timestamp":1727678375000},"page":"4899","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Unlocking Nature\u2019s Potential: Modelling Acacia melanoxylon as a Renewable Resource for Bio-Oil Production through Thermochemical Liquefaction"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1608-1063","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sila","family":"Ozkan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CERENA-Centre for Natural Resources and the Environment, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Henrique","family":"Sousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERENA-Centre for Natural Resources and the Environment, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4994-8639","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Diogo","family":"Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERENA-Centre for Natural Resources and the Environment, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2763-3655","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jaime","family":"Puna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERENA-Centre for Natural Resources and the Environment, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Departamento de Engenharia Qu\u00edmica, Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, R. Conselheiro Em\u00eddio Navarro 1, 1959-007 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7848-7574","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana","family":"Carvalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Management Studies (CEG-IST), Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, University of Lisbon, 1649004 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9832-6433","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Bordado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERENA-Centre for Natural Resources and the Environment, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6738-0672","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rui Galhano","family":"dos Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERENA-Centre for Natural Resources and the Environment, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2579-6669","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o","family":"Gomes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERENA-Centre for Natural Resources and the Environment, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Departamento de Engenharia Qu\u00edmica, Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, R. Conselheiro Em\u00eddio Navarro 1, 1959-007 Lisboa, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rser.2018.07.030","article-title":"Co-Electrolysis for Power-to-Methanol Applications","volume":"95","author":"Andika","year":"2018","journal-title":"Renew. Sustain. 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