Hierarchical <scp>ZSM</scp> ‐5/ <scp>SBA</scp> ‐15 composites supported non‐Noble metal oxides for efficient catalytic oxidation of <scp>HMF</scp> to <scp>FDCA</scp>

Abstract BACKGROUND The efficient utilization of biomass resources is a key pathway to replace fossil fuels. The oxidation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) played an important role for synthesizing bio‐based polyester monomers. In this study, a series of ZSM‐5/SBA‐15 composite molecular sieves were prepared via the simple mechanical grinding method to construct micro‐mesoporous supports with pore size of 0.64 ~ 9.31 nm, hierarchical structure, and dual acidic sites. Then, non‐noble metal oxides (Co, Fe, Cr, and Mn) were loaded on composite supports by wet impregnation method, respectively. The composite support ZS‐21 optimized the dispersion and stability of the active component, accelerated mass transfer, and thereby universally enhanced the catalytic activity of non‐noble metal oxides. RESULTS The most pronounced improvement was observed for Cr‐ZS‐21, which achieved a 77% increase of FDCA yield compared with that of single supports. Meanwhile, 10Co‐ZS‐21 catalyst showed the best performance with HMF conversion of 96.6% and FDCA yield of 55.1% under optimized conditions (140 °C, 1.0 MPa O₂, 24 h), and FDCA yield remained at 52.98% after five cycles. Based on the catalyst characterization, we considered that the coexisting Co 3+ and Co 2+ established a dynamic redox cycle, providing the sustained driving force for the stepwise oxidation. The stable Co‐O‐Si chemical bonds and the hierarchical pore structure collectively enhanced the catalytic activity and stability. CONCLUSION This study provided a series of non‐noble metal catalysts by a facile synthesis method for the efficient production of bio‐based FDCA, which possessed cost advantages and industrial potential. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).