Glycerol Oligomerization over Titania‐Based Catalyst Compositions

• Published in: Chemistry : a European journal 2024-01, Vol.30 (4), p.e202302733-n/a
• Main Authors: Vlasenko, Nina V., Yanushevska, Olena I., Didenko, Olga Z., Strizhak, Peter E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acid-base properties; Carbon; Carbon nanotubes; Catalysts; Catalytic converters; Chemistry; composites; Composition; Diglycerides; Fourier transforms; Glycerides; Glycerol; glycerol oligomerization; Nanotechnology; Nanotubes; Oligomerization; Sulfur; Titanium dioxide; Triglycerides
• ISSN: 0947-6539; 1521-3765
• DOI: 10.1002/chem.202302733

The possibility of using TiO2‐based compositions: individual and sulfated titania, and their composites with carbon nanotubes as catalysts for glycerol oligomerization has been displayed. The effect of modification of TiO2 with sulfur and carbon nanotubes on acid‐base and catalytic characteristics in the glycerol conversion was investigated. The activation of glycerol on the catalysts has been studied using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy. Only the samples based on sulfated titania are active over glycerol transformation, showing up to 58.7 % conversion. This is explained by the presence of strong base sites. Glycerides up to pentaglycerides, both linear and nonlinear structure are formed by glycerol oligomerization over TiO2−S. The addition of nanotubes to the catalyst reduces both the glycerol conversion (up to 10.5 %) and the yield of glycerides. However, the spectrum of the resulting products is significantly narrowed, increasing the selectivity for short‐chain glycerides: the portion of diglycerides reaches 72 %, and triglycerides 21 %. Herewith, glycerides of a linear structure only formed. Modification of TiO2 with sulfonic groups causes the appearance of catalytic activity with the formation of a wide range of polyglycerides. Fabrication of a composite of sulfated titania with carbon nanotubes limits the spectrum of products with short‐chain linear glycerides. Thus, it gives a promising way to obtain a selective catalyst for the processing of glycerol into short‐chain polyglycerides.