Abstract
A series of Ni-Fe/SBA-15 catalysts was prepared and tested for the catalytic hydrogenation of levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone, adopting methanol as the only hydrogen donor, and investigating the synergism between Fe and Ni, both supported on SBA-15, towards this reaction. The characterization of the synthesized catalysts was carried out by XRD (X-ray powder diffraction), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), H2-TPD (hydrogen temperature-programmed desorption), XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), and in situ FT-IR (Fourier transform–infrared spectroscopy) techniques. H2-TPD and XPS results have shown that electron transfer occurs from Fe to Ni, which is helpful both for the activation of the C=O bond and for the dissociative activation of H2 molecules, also in agreement with the results of the in situ FT-IR spectroscopy. The effect of temperature and reaction time on γ-valerolactone production was also investigated, identifying the best reaction conditions at 200 °C and 180 min, allowing for the complete conversion of levulinic acid and the complete selectivity to γ-valerolactone. Moreover, methanol was identified as an efficient hydrogen donor, if used in combination with the Ni-Fe/SBA-15 catalyst. The obtained results are promising, especially if compared with those obtained with the traditional and more expensive molecular hydrogen and noble-based catalysts.
Highlights
The world is highly dependent on the utilization of fossil resources to fulfill energy needs for the production of heat and power
The surplus consumption of fossil fuels is escalating the concentration of atmospheric CO2, which causes serious global warming threats [1,2]
The transformation of levulinic acid (LA) into more added-value bio-fuels and bio-chemicals is strategic, thanks to its reactive keto and carboxylic functional groups, which can be exploited for the synthesis of many valuable bio-chemicals, such as fuel additives, fragrances, solvents, pharmaceuticals, and plasticizers [4]
Summary
The world is highly dependent on the utilization of fossil resources to fulfill energy needs for the production of heat and power. The transformation of LA into more added-value bio-fuels and bio-chemicals is strategic, thanks to its reactive keto and carboxylic functional groups, which can be exploited for the synthesis of many valuable bio-chemicals, such as fuel additives, fragrances, solvents, pharmaceuticals, and plasticizers [4]. Among these high-value chemicals, γ-valerolactone (GVL) is receiving considerable attention to synthesize added-value bio-chemicals, such as food additives, solvents, and drug intermediates, as well as new bio-fuels [5,6].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
