Screening of promoted CeO2/Al2O3 catalysts in aqueous phase glycerol reforming and hydrogenolysis into 1,2-propanediol

• Main Authors: Azri, Norsahida, Irmawati, Ramli, Leong, Rudy Hakim Danial, Nda-Umar, Usman Idris, Saiman, Mohd Izham, Taufiq-Yap, Yun Hin, Abdulkareem-Alsultan, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malaysian Society of Analytical Sciences 2024
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/113560/1/113560.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/113560/; https://mjas.analis.com.my/mjas/v28_n2/pdf/Azri_28_2_2.pdf

A series of promoted CeO2/Al2O3 catalysts (10Cu-90CeO2/Al2O3, 10Ni-90CeO2/Al2O3, 10Co-90CeO2/Al2O3) were synthesized via method of impregnation and later calcined at 600 ℃. Those catalysts were formerly tested for their physicochemical properties by X-ray diffraction (XRD), H2-temperature programmed reduction (H2-TPR), and NH3-temperature programmed desorption (NH3–TPD). After characterized, it was then evaluated in the performance of catalytic glycerol conversion into 1,2-propanediol; propylene glycol (1,2-PDO; PG) via aqueous phase glycerol reforming and hydrogenolysis route under inert N2 flow. Among the examined catalysts, CeO2/Al2O3 with 10wt% Cu loading (10Cu-90CeO2/Al2O3) showed optimum catalytic activity with 88.5% glycerol conversion (GC) and 35.5% PG selectivity at 300 ℃ reaction temperature, 2 h duration test, 30 cc/min of N2 initial pressure, 0.1 g catalyst dosage and 10wt% glycerol concentration. The high catalytic performance of 10Cu90CeO2/Al2O3 was owing to the good copper-cerium-alumina interaction via its good metal reducibility at low temperature along with good acid capacity for the reaction.