Applicability of a TSA/ZrO2 catalytic membrane for the production of ethyl levulinate as raw material of gamma-valerolactone

Abstract

The aim of this study is to synthesize of ethyl levulinate as raw material by the green catalytic membrane process for the produce of gamma-valerolactone by hydrogenation. Production of zirconium oxide supported tungstosilicic acid loaded hydroxyethyl cellulose catalytic membrane was done by solution casting method. Zirconium oxide supported tungstosilicic acid, which used as the catalyst, was prepared by the wet impregnation method in the laboratory. Catalyst and catalytic membrane were characterized by XRD and SEM. The reaction was carried out in the batch reactor by using catalytic membrane pieces as the catalyst. Optimum conditions were determined as the reaction temperature of 75 °C, molar feed ratio of 6:1, catalyst concentration of 2 wt.% and catalytic membrane amount of 4 wt.%. The conversion value of levulinic acid to ethyl levulinate was obtained as 86% under these conditions and catalytic membrane was used for five times without losing catalytic activity. As a result of the study, catalytic membrane was found as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of ethyl levulinate.