Conversion of cellulose to short chain polyols over metal loaded on KCC-1 catalyst

Abstract

The production of short chain polyols from cellulose over metal (Ce, Ni or Ru) loaded on fibrous mesoporous silica KCC-1 catalysts was studied at temperature range of 150-240 °C. The KCC-1 was prepared by microwave assisted hydrothermal method. Then it was modified with Ce, Ni or Ru by incipient wetness impregnation method. The KCC-1, Ce/KCC-1, Ni/KCC-1 and Ru/KCC-1 were characterized with XRD, FESEM, FTIR and nitrogen-physisorption analyzer. The XRD analysis showed that the introduction of metals did not change much of the XRD pattern for KCC-1. The FESEM and EDX results showed the presence of Ce, Ni and Ru metals on the uniform spherical shape of fibrous silica particle. The surface area of KCC-1, Ce/KCC-1, Ni/KCC-1 and Ru/KCC-1 was 393.81, 371.56, 314.22 and 351.97 m²/g, respectively. At 220 °C, 5 bars of nitrogen, and 2 h of reaction, the conversion of cellulose reached 95 % over Ce/KCC-1 with the product distribution of 3-buten-1-ol (S=63.30%), diisopropyl ether (S=2.86%) and cyclopropane carboxylic acid (S=33.70%). While, bare KCC-1, Ni/KCC-1 and Ru/KCC-1 showed less activity than that of Ce/KCC-1. The high activity of Ce/KCC-1 may be due to the presence of Ce metal and fibrous silica which provided large surface area and average pore diameter.