Aqueous phase hydrogenolysis of glycerol with in situ generated hydrogen over Ni/Al3Fe1 catalyst: effect of the calcination temperature

Abstract

The present work studied the influence of the calcination temperature on the aqueous phase hydrogenolysis of glycerol with in situ generated hydrogen over a Ni/Al₃Fe₁ catalyst. The Ni/Al₃Fe₁ catalyst was synthesized by the co-precipitation method at 28 mol% of Ni (Ni/(Ni + Al + Fe)) and a molar ratio of Al/Fe of 3/1. The prepared catalyst was calcined at different temperatures (500–750 °C). The obtained samples were tested for the aqueous phase hydrogenolysis (APH) of glycerol and characterized by several analytical techniques (ICP-OES, H₂-TPR, XRD, N₂-physisorption, NH₃-TPD, STEM, FESEM, and TGA). The catalyst calcined at 625 °C was selected as the best sample due to its high acidity, metal dispersion, and catalytic activity; 1,2-propanediol was the highest carbon selectivity product. In addition, it experienced lower metal leaching than the catalyst calcined at 500 °C.