Authors: Shuai Wang Haichao Liu
Publish Date: 2007/04/14
Volume: 117, Issue: 1-2, Pages: 62-67
Abstract
Hydrogenolysis of biomassderived glycerol is an alternative route to sustainable production of propylene glycol Cu–ZnO catalysts were prepared by coprecipitation with a range of Cu/Zn atomic ratio 06–20 and examined in glycerol hydrogenolysis to propylene glycol at 453–513 K and 42 MPa H2 These catalysts possess acid and hydrogenation sites required for bifunctional glycerol reaction pathways most likely involving glycerol dehydration to acetol and glycidol intermediates on acidic ZnO surfaces and their subsequent hydrogenation on Cu surfaces Glycerol hydrogenolysis conversions and selectivities depend on Cu and ZnO particle sizes Smaller ZnO and Cu domains led to higher conversions and propylene glycol selectivities respectively A high propylene glycol selectivity 836 with a 943 combined selectivity to propylene glycol and ethylene glycol also a valuable product was achieved at 225 glycerol conversion at 473 K on Cu–ZnO Cu/Zn = 10 with relatively small Cu particles Reaction temperature effects showed that optimal temperatures eg 493 K are required for high propylene glycol selectivities probably as a result of optimized adsorption and transformation of the reaction intermediates on the catalyst surfaces These preliminary results provide guidance for the synthesis of more efficient Cu–ZnO catalysts and for the optimization of reaction parameters for selective glycerol hydrogenolysis to produce propylene glycolThis work was supported by the National Basic Research Project of China No2006CB806100 and National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant No 20673005 20573004 This work was also supported in part by Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University NECT05–0010 State Education Ministry The authors thank Professor E Min of SINOPEC for his insightful discussions
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