The Development Of Group II Metals (Ca/Mg) As Promoter Or Bimetallic Couple For Ni/ɣ-Al2O3 Catalyst For Application Of Aqueous Phase Reforming Of Glycerol

• Main Author: Azmi, Nadzirah
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: IRC 2015
• Subjects: TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/15817/1/FINAL%20DISSERTATION%2016884.pdf; http://utpedia.utp.edu.my/15817/

With development of technology now day, the valorisation of glycerol is one of the solutions to solve problem of excess amount of glycerol produced in biodiesel industry. In order to contribute to the development of glycerol research, aqueous phase reforming (APR) is used to valorise the glycerol. The main objectives of this project is to study the potential value added chemicals can be produce from aqueous phase reforming of glycerol using Ni/ɣ-Al2O3 catalyst promoted or bimetallic couple with Group II metals (Ca/Mg). For this study, thirteen catalysts will be synthesised using incipient wetness impregnation method (IWI). 10wt% of nickel loading was deposited on gamma alumina support. The effect of different metal loading of calcium and magnesium (0.5%, 3.0%, 5.0% and 7.0%) on the physiochemical properties of catalyst has been investigated. Then the synthesised catalysts will undergo several characterization techniques such XRD, BET analysis, SEM, FESEM and TPR to distinguish its characteristics. Result from XRD shows that the addition of calcium and magnesium increased the intensity of the catalyst. From BET analysis, it was found that the addition of metals like nickel, calcium and magnesium decreased the surface area, pore volume and size. From the images that have been captured from SEM and FESEM, the particles were visible well dispersed on the support. For TPR, the reduction temperature of 10% Ni is 660°C. The catalytic activity gamma alumina supported nickel; calcium and magnesium were evaluated in an autoclave reactor at 230°C, 10 bar 450 rpm. The results obtained from the reactor were good enough. The addition of 3% alkaline metals into the support seems to be optimum amount of metals in order to have good APR reaction. The value added chemicals that have been produced that useful to industry are 1, 3- propanediol, propionaldehyde, propylene glycol, propanol, ethanol and ethylene glycol.