Introduction
Interest: solutions to emerging environmental issues including bioresource management and decontamination. Expertise: thermocatalytic valorization of biomass waste for the synthesis of platform chemicals and fuel chemicals; microwave technologies for innovative catalytic degradation of organic pollutants.
Skills and Expertise
Green Chemistry
Food Waste
Waste Valorization
Biomass Conversion
bioresource
Biochar
Microwave Chemistry
Research Experience
September 2019 - October 2019
Technische Universität München
Technische Universität München

    Catalysis Research CenterMunich, Germany

Position

    PostDoc Position

Publications
Publications (67)
Critical factors for levulinic acid production from starch-rich food waste: Solvent effects, reaction pressure, and phase separation
Article

    Jan 2022

    Shanta Dutta
    Shanta Dutta
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Jiajun Fan
    Jiajun Fan[...]
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

A considerable amount of food waste generated globally could be upcycled to synthesise platform chemicals to enhance environmental sustainability and help realise a circular economy. This study investigates the catalytic production of the vital platform molecule levulinic acid (LA) from bread waste, a typical stream of starch-rich food waste genera...
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Sustainable production of high-value gluconic acid and glucaric acid through oxidation of biomass-derived glucose: A critical review
Article

    Jun 2021

    Qiaozhi Zhang
    Qiaozhi Zhang
    Zhonghao Wan
    Zhonghao Wan
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

Gluconic acid (GOA) and glucaric acid (GAA) are valuable chemicals for a wide range of applications, yet conventional technologies for their production suffer from low efficiency, high cost, and especially environmental concerns. It is imperative to develop sustainable heterogeneous catalytic systems exhibiting promising catalytic activity and good...
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Size-activity threshold of titanium dioxide-supported Cu cluster in CO oxidation
Article

    Mar 2021

    Wasim Ullah Khan
    Wasim Ullah Khan
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Sun Yuqing
    Sun Yuqing[...]
    Alex C.K. Yip
    Alex C.K. Yip

Development of non-noble metal cluster catalysts, aiming at concurrently high activity and stability, for emission control systems has been challenging because of sintering and overcoating of clusters on the support. In this work, we reported the role of well-dispersed copper nanoclusters supported on TiO2 in CO oxidation under industrially relevan...
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Valorization of Humins from Food Waste Biorefinery for Synthesis of Biochar-supported Lewis Acid Catalysts
Article

    Feb 2021

    Xinni Xiong
    Xinni Xiong
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Shanta Dutta
    Shanta Dutta[...]
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

To close the carbon loop of biomass waste valorization, it is imperative to utilize the unavoidable by-products such as humins, a carbonaceous residue with complex and heterogeneous composition. In this study, starch-rich rice waste was effectively converted into value-added chemicals (e.g., 5-hydroxymethylfurfural) under microwave heating at 160 o...
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A Cross-region Analysis of Commercial Food Waste Recycling Behaviour
Article

    Jan 2021

    Tiffany M.W. Mak
    Tiffany M.W. Mak
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Xinni Xiong
    Xinni Xiong[...]
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

To tackle the crisis associated with the rising commercial food waste generation, it is imperative to comprehend how corporates’ recycling behaviour is influenced by different industry structures and economies. This study aims to fill in the information gap that various factors might be affecting corporates’ recycling behaviour in two different eco...
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Mechanistic understandings of catalytic hydrogenation of bio-derived aromatics
Article

    Jan 2021

    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu

Biorefinery, the transformation of biomass to renewable energy and materials, is a prominent player in sustainability agenda to achieve carbon neutrality in 30-40 years. In the reductive upgrading of bio-based...
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NaCl-promoted phase transition and glycosidic bond cleavage under microwave for energy-efficient biorefinery of rice starch
Article

    Nov 2020

    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Jiajun Fan
    Jiajun Fan
    Vitaliy Budarin
    Vitaliy Budarin[...]
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

Sustainable utilisation of food waste in biorefineries is imperative to actualising a circular economy and alleviating the massive environmental burden. An efficient biorefinery system design necessitates comprehensive understanding of the...
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Evidences of starch–microwave interactions under hydrolytic and pyrolytic conditions
Article

    Oct 2020

    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Jiajun Fan
    Jiajun Fan
    Vitaliy Budarin
    Vitaliy Budarin[...]
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

Microwaves (MWs) are promising technologies for energy-efficient biorefineries which reduce our dependence on petroleum. Here we present evidence for the first time of important interactions between MW and starch, a major biomass from massive global food wastes, which can be observed under both hydrolytic and pyrolytic conditions. Starch is transfo...
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Biochar: Critical Review on Biochar‐Supported Catalysts for Pollutant Degradation and Sustainable Biorefinery (Adv. Sustainable Syst. 10/2020)
Article

    Oct 2020

    Manish Kumar
    Manish Kumar
    Xinni Xiong
    Xinni Xiong
    Sun Yuqing
    Sun Yuqing[...]
    Ashok Pandey
    Ashok Pandey

In article number 1900149, Daniel C. W. Tsang and co‐workers review the advanced tailoring of the physicochemical properties of biochar, a next‐generation material that creates opportunities in a wide range of industrial applications, including catalytic production of biofuels and high‐value chemicals, tar removal, syngas reforming, energy storage,...
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Efficient Depolymerization of Cellulosic Paper Towel Waste Using Organic Carbonate Solvents
Article

    Aug 2020

    Shanta Dutta
    Shanta Dutta
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang[...]
    Chi Sun Poon
    Chi Sun Poon

Efficient depolymerization of lignocellulosic biomass is a prerequisite for sugar production and its subsequent up-gradation to fuels and chemicals. Organic carbonate solvents, i.e., propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), and dimethyl carbonate (DMC), which are low in toxicity and biodegradable, were investigated as ‘green’ co-solvents...
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Biorefinery-assisted soil management for enhancing food security
Article

    Jul 2020

    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang
    Deyi Hou
    Deyi Hou

PurposeThis communication aims to foster the integration of biorefinery and soil management for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Methods The latest advances in biomass waste utilization and soil quality improvement are reviewed, based on which we identify the opportunity of bridging the two research areas and suggest strategic approac...
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Study of glucose isomerisation to fructose over three heterogeneous carbon-based aluminium-impregnated catalysts
Article

    May 2020

    Xinni Xiong
    Xinni Xiong
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang[...]
    James Hanley Clark
    James Hanley Clark

Driven by the worldwide demand for sustainable resources and renewable energy, the synthesis of bio-based platform chemicals has attracted broad interest. The isomerisation of glucose to fructose acts as a critical intermediate step among many chemical synthesis routes. In this study, biochar (BC), graphitic oxide (GIO), and graphene oxide (GO) wer...
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Figure 1. Summary of biomass conversion technologies.
Figure 3. Reaction mechanism of cellulose and lignin pyrolysis (Carlson...
Figure 4. The hydrolysis reactions of cellulose and hemicellulose...
Typical chemicals formed through catalytic pyrolysis processes.
+1 Chemicals through catalytic hydrothermal process.
Chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass: A critical comparison between biochemical, microwave and thermochemical conversion methods
Article
Full-text available

    May 2020

    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Huihui Chen
    Huihui Chen
    Felix Abeln
    Felix Abeln[...]
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

The past decades have seen an increasing interest in developing pathways to produce bio-based chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass and organic waste as renewable resources. Using biomass as a source of chemical building blocks is critical to a future sustainable chemical industry. The successful development of bio-chemicals will also have a profo...
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Tailored design of graphitic biochar for high-efficiency and chemical-free microwave-assisted removal of refractory organic contaminants
Article

    May 2020

    Sun Yuqing
    Sun Yuqing
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang[...]
    Nigel J.D. Graham
    Nigel J.D. Graham

Energy-saving, chemical-free, and high-efficiency microwave (MW)-assisted water treatment can be greatly facilitated via tailored design of an economical, sustainable, and ‘green’ carbonaceous catalyst. In this study, various biochars (BC) were pyrolyzed from two lignocellulosic waste biomasses, oak (O) and apple tree (A), at high temperature (900...
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Ball-milled, solvent-free Sn-functionalisation of wood waste biochar for sugar conversion in food waste valorisation
Article

    May 2020

    Yang Xiao
    Yang Xiao
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang[...]
    Yong Sik Ok
    Yong Sik Ok

The use of biomass wastes for biochar production is a promising waste management option, and biochars can be potentially applied in the food waste recycling industry to produce value-added chemicals. In this study, an advanced Sn-functionalised biochar catalyst was synthesised via a novel solvent-free ball milling protocol to facilitate the isomeri...
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Biorenewable hydrogen production through biomass gasification: A review and future prospects
Article

    Apr 2020

    Leichang Cao
    Leichang Cao
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Xinni Xiong
    Xinni Xiong[...]
    Yong Sik Ok
    Yong Sik Ok

Hydrogen is recognized as one of the cleanest energy carriers, which can be produced from renewable biomass as a promising feedstock to achieve sustainable bioeconomy. Thermochemical technologies (e.g., gasification and pyrolysis) are the main routes for hydrogen production from biomass. Although biomass gasification, including steam gasification a...
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Critical Review on Biochar‐Supported Catalysts for Pollutant Degradation and Sustainable Biorefinery
Article

    Mar 2020

    Manish Kumar
    Manish Kumar
    Xinni Xiong
    Xinni Xiong
    Sun Yuqing
    Sun Yuqing[...]
    Ashok Pandey
    Ashok Pandey

Biochar (BC) is a material synthesized from biomass by thermochemical conversion. Physicochemical and functional properties of BCs can be enhanced by several methods of activation or functionalization. The activated and functionalized BCs with a large surface area and abundant surface functional groups can serve as effective catalysts or catalyst s...
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Life-cycle assessment of food waste recycling
Chapter

    Feb 2020

    Chor-Man Lam
    Chor-Man Lam
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Shu-Chien Hsu
    Shu-Chien Hsu
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

Proper food waste management measures are crucial to environmentally-friendly and sustainable development. To opt for the most environmentally beneficial food waste management strategies, a comprehensive decision-guiding tool is important to evaluate and compare the performance of the handling techniques. Previous studies have demonstrated LCA as a...
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Theory of planned behavior on food waste recycling
Chapter

    Feb 2020

    Tiffany M.W. Mak
    Tiffany M.W. Mak
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

This chapter introduces a psychological model, which is commonly known as the theory of planned behavior (TPB), provides theoretical framework to assist in our understanding of the factors influencing behavioral choices. Three key constructs are proposed in TPB that directly affect individuals' intention and thus their behavior, namely attitude, su...
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Sustainable carbohydrate-derived building materials
Chapter

    Jan 2020

    Xinni Xiong
    Xinni Xiong
    Lei Wang
    Lei Wang
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

Ever-increasing global demand for energy and resources has been drawing more and more attention to sustainable and cost-effective materials and technologies. Turning renewable resources and energy to sustainable materials applied in the construction and building industry is of great significance. Carbohydrate-derived biomass, including fiber, bioch...
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Influence of green solvent on levulinic acid production from lignocellulosic paper waste
Article

    Dec 2019

    Shanta Dutta
    Shanta Dutta
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang[...]
    Chi Sun Poon
    Chi Sun Poon

Lignocellulosic wastes constitute a significant portion of the municipal solid waste, which should be valorised for the synthesis of value-added chemicals to achieve circular bioeconomy. This study evaluates the use of γ-valerolactone (GVL) and acetone as green co-solvents to produce levulinic acid (LA) from lignocellulosic paper towel waste at dif...
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Tailoring Acidity and Porosity of Alumina Catalysts via Transition Metal Doping for Glucose Conversion in Biorefinery
Article

    Nov 2019

    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Aamir Hanif
    Aamir Hanif
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang[...]
    Jin Shang
    Jin Shang

Efficient conversion of food waste to value-added products necessitates the development of high-performance heterogeneous catalysts. This study evaluated the use of Al2O3 as a low-cost and abundant support material for fabricating Lewis acid catalysts, i.e., through the in-situ doping of Cu, Ni, Co, and Zr into Al2O3 followed by calcination. The ch...
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Sustainable food waste management towards circular bioeconomy: Policy review, limitations and opportunities
Article

    Nov 2019

    Tiffany M.W. Mak
    Tiffany M.W. Mak
    Xinni Xiong
    Xinni Xiong
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang[...]
    Chi Sun Poon
    Chi Sun Poon

Research attention is increasingly drawn on constructing a circular bioeconomy and enhancing the value of material flows. Circular bioeconomy aims to achieve sustainable consumption and production with reduction of greenhouse gas emission. This study identifies research gaps on how circular bioeconomy can be achieved through sustainable food waste...
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Tuneable Functionalities in Layered Double Hydroxide Catalysts for Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass-Derived Glucose to Fructose
Article

    Sep 2019

    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu
    Aamir Hanif
    Aamir Hanif
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang[...]
    Chi Sun Poon
    Chi Sun Poon

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with varying crystallite sizes (2.6–43 nm), layer numbers (3–70), specific surface area (18–455 m² g⁻¹), pore volume (0.025–1.6 mL g⁻¹), and functional groups were synthesised via conventional urea hydrolysis and co-precipitation methods and aqueous miscible organic solvent (AMOST) treatment. They were evaluated as...
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Sustainable biochar catalyst synergized with copper heteroatoms and CO2 for singlet oxygenation and electron transfer routes
Article

    Jul 2019

    Zhonghao Wan
    Zhonghao Wan
    Sun Yuqing
    Sun Yuqing
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang[...]
    Yong Sik Ok
    Yong Sik Ok

We have developed a sustainable graphitic biochar for environmental remediation from wood waste through catalytic pyrolysis under the synergistic effects between CO2 and Cu heteroatoms, which for the first time are found to significantly enhance the oxygen functionalities, defective sites, and highly ordered sp2-hybridized carbon matrix. The copper...
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Potentially Toxic Elements in Solid Waste Streams: Fate and Management Approaches
Article

    Jul 2019

    Xinni Xiong
    Xinni Xiong
    Xueming Liu
    Xueming Liu
    Iris KM Yu
    Iris KM Yu[...]
    Dan Tsang
    Dan Tsang

Solid wastes containing potentially toxic elements (PTEs) are widely generated around the globe. Critical concerns have been raised over their impacts on human health and the environment, especially for the exposure to PTEs during the transfer and disposal of the wastes. It is important to devise highly-efficient and cost-effective treatment techno...
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