Makgwane, Peter R.Malibo, Petrus Molaoa2021-09-082024-05-132021-09-082024-05-132021https://hdl.handle.net/10566/14695Philosophiae Doctor - PhDMaleic acid (MA) is a key intermediate for the synthesis of polyester resins, surface coatings, lubricant additives, plasticizers, copolymers, pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals. The current industrial production of MA is an energy-intensive gas-phase oxidation process of n-butane. The dwindling fossil resources and environmental issues have brought about a worldwide paradigm shift from fossil feedstocks to biomass resources for the sustainable production of fuel and chemicals. Furfural (FFR) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) are excellent biomass-derived platform chemicals, which present an alternative route for the production of renewable bio-based MA. There has been considerable success achieved in the oxidation of furfural and HMF to maleic acid and maleic anhydride with different catalysts in recent years.enOxidationMaleic acidBiomassLubricantGas oxidationsUniversity of Western Cape