Catalytic conversion of glycerol mediated by pillared clays, activated carbons and conducting polymers

• Grant number: 09/07125-8
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2009
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Flávia Camargo Alves Figueiredo
• Grantee: Flávia Camargo Alves Figueiredo
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Dalmo Mandelli ; Elizabete Jordão ; Everaldo Carlos Venancio ; Wagner Alves Carvalho
• Associated scholarship(s): 10/01592-0 - Catalytic conversion of glycerol mediated by pillared clays, activated carbons and conducting polymers, BP.JP

Abstract

Production of biodiesel in Brazil and around the world has grown exponentially in the last years. As a result, the supply of glycerol is higher than the current demand, so that new applications and strategies for the conversion of glycerol from the biodiesel production should be investigated. These strategies include the transformation of glycerol in oxygenated fuels, by reactions of etherification and esterification. This is a promising alternative, economically feasible because that makes use of a by-product of biodiesel precisely to increase the yield of the biofuel process. Moreover, it can lead to products used as additives to diesel and gasoline, reducing the level of pollutants emission. The reactions of etherification and esterification have in common the use of solids with acid characteristics as catalysts. Based on the literature and in previous studies made by our research group, we want to use pillared clays, activated carbons and conducting polymers as catalysts for these conversions, in order to obtain as main products triethers (in the reaction of etherification with tert-butyl alcohol), di- and triglycerols (in the reaction of etherification without the addition of alkylating agents) and triacetin (in the reaction of esterification with acetic acid and/or methyl acetate). These catalysts have in common, besides the necessary acidity, high surface areas and chemical and thermal stability enough to be employed in this process. We hope to get active and selective catalytic systems, allowing the conversion of glycerol into products with high economic and environmental interests.Production of biodiesel in Brazil and around the world has grown exponentially in the last years. As a result, the supply of glycerol is higher than the current demand, so that new applications and strategies for the conversion of glycerol from the biodiesel production should be investigated. These strategies include the transformation of glycerol in oxygenated fuels, by reactions of etherification and esterification. This is a promising alternative, economically feasible because that makes use of a by-product of biodiesel precisely to increase the yield of the biofuel process. Moreover, it can lead to products used as additives to diesel and gasoline, reducing the level of pollutants emission. The reactions of etherification and esterification have in common the use of solids with acid characteristics as catalysts. Based on the literature and in previous studies made by our research group, we want to use pillared clays, activated carbons and conducting polymers as catalysts for these conversions, in order to obtain as main products triethers (in the reaction of etherification with tert-butyl alcohol), di- and triglycerols (in the reaction of etherification without the addition of alkylating agents) and triacetin (in the reaction of esterification with acetic acid and/or methyl acetate). These catalysts have in common, besides the necessary acidity, high surface areas and chemical and thermal stability enough to be employed in this process. We hope to get active and selective catalytic systems, allowing the conversion of glycerol into products with high economic and environmental interests. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RODRIGUES, R.; ISODA, N.; GONCALVES, M.; FIGUEIREDO, F. C. A.; MANDELLI, D.; CARVALHO, W. A.. Effect of niobia and alumina as support for Pt catalysts in the hydrogenolysis of glycerol. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL, v. 198, p. 457-467, AUG 1 2012. (09/07125-8, 09/07109-2)

GONCALVES, MARAISA; SOUZA, VICTOR C.; GALHARDO, THALITA S.; MANTOVANI, MICHELLE; FIGUEIREDO, FLAVIA C. A.; MANDELLI, DALMO; CARVALHO, WAGNER A.. Glycerol Conversion Catalyzed by Carbons Prepared from Agroindustrial Wastes. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, v. 52, n. 8, p. 2832-2839, FEB 27 2013. (09/07125-8, 11/14626-3, 09/07109-2)

ZANIN, C. I. C. B.; JORDAO, E.; MANDELLI, D.; FIGUEIREDO, F. C. A.; CARVALHO, W. A.; OLIVEIRA, E. V.. Hydrogenolysis of glycerol to alcohols catalyzed by transition metals supported on pillared clay. Reaction Kinetics Mechanisms and Catalysis, v. 115, n. 1, p. 293-310, JUN 2015. (09/07125-8, 09/07109-2)

GALHARDO, THALITA S.; SIMONE, NATHALIA; GONCALVES, MARAISA; FIGUEIREDO, FLAVIA C. A.; MANDELLI, DALMO; CARVALHO, WAGNER A.. Preparation of Sulfonated Carbons from Rice Husk and Their Application in Catalytic Conversion of Glycerol. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, v. 1, n. 11, p. 1381-1389, NOV 2013. (09/07125-8, 09/07109-2)

CELDEIRA, PATRICIA A.; GONCALVES, MARAISA; FIGUEIREDO, FLDVIA C. A.; DAL BOSCO, SANDRA MARIA; MANDELLI, DALMO; CARVALHO, WAGNER A.. Sulfonated niobia and pillared clay as catalysts in etherification reaction of glycerol. APPLIED CATALYSIS A-GENERAL, v. 478, p. 98-106, MAY 20 2014. (09/07125-8, 11/14626-3, 11/22264-4)