Production of Propanediols through In Situ Glycerol Hydrogenolysis via Aqueous Phase Reforming: A Review

Production of 1,2-propanediol and 1,3-propanediol are identified as methods to reduce glycerol oversupply. Hence, glycerol hydrogenolysis is identified as a thermochemical conversion substitute; however, it requires an expensive, high-pressure pure hydrogen supply. Studies have been performed on other potential thermochemical conversion processes whereby aqueous phase reforming has been identified as an excellent substitute for the conversion process due to its low temperature requirement and high H2 yields, factors which permit the process of in-situ glycerol hydrogenolysis which requires no external H2 supply. Hence, this manuscript emphasizes delving into the possibilities of this concept to produce 1,2-propanediol and 1,3-propanediol without “breaking the bank” with expenses. Various heterogenous catalysts of aqueous phase reforming (APR) and glycerol hydrogenolysis were identified, whereby the combination of a noble metal, support, and dopant with a good amount of Brønsted acid sites are identified as the key factors to ensure a high yield of 1,3-propanediol. However, for 1,2-propanediol, a Cu-based catalyst with decent basic support is observed to be the key for good yield and selectivity of product. The findings have shown that it is possible to produce high yields of both 1,2-propanediol and 1,3-propanediol via aqueous phase reforming, specifically 1,2-propanediol, for which some of the findings achieve better selectivity compared to direct glycerol hydrogenolysis to 1,2-propanediol. This is not the case for 1,3-propanediol, for which further studies need to be conducted to evaluate its feasibility.

Strengthening the Connection between Science, Society and Environment to Develop Future French and European Bioeconomies: Cutting-Edge Research of VAALBIO Team at UCCS

The development of the future French and European bioeconomies will involve developing new green chemical processes in which catalytic transformations are key. The VAALBIO team (valorization of alkanes and biomass) of the UCCS laboratory (Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide) are working on various catalytic processes, either developing new catalysts and/or designing the whole catalytic processes. Our research is focused on both the fundamental and applied aspects of the processes. Through this review paper, we demonstrate the main topics developed by our team focusing mostly on oxygen- and hydrogen-related processes as well as on green hydrogen production and hybrid catalysis. The social impacts of the bioeconomy are also discussed applying the concept of the institutional compass.

Glycerol to Glyceraldehyde Oxidation Reaction Over Pt-Based Catalysts Under Base-Free Conditions

Glycerol valorization through partial oxidation is a good way of obtaining many different molecules with high added value such as glyceric acid, tartronic acid, dihydroxyacetone, etc. Among the potential products, glyceraldehyde is an interesting chemical compound for its various applications in different domains such as organic chemistry, medical, and cosmetic industries. In the present paper, we studied the effect of different supports on the glycerol oxidation reaction in a batch reactor applying base-free conditions. The tested catalysts were Pt-based materials deposited on various supports (i.e., SiO₂, TiO₂, ZSM-5, γ-Al₂O₃), which were synthesized using a deposition method followed by a chemical reduction. The catalysts were extensively characterized (BET, ICP, XRD, TEM, XPS), highlighting differences in terms of specific surface areas, textural properties, and Pt nanoparticles sizes. We evidenced a direct relation between glycerol conversion and glyceraldehyde selectivity (i.e., an increase in glycerol conversion leads to a decrease in glyceraldehyde selectivity). The Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts exhibited the highest activity, but their selectivity to glyceraldehyde significantly decreased with time on stream. Pt/SiO₂ presented the highest selectivity to glyceraldehyde owing to a slower reaction rate, which allows envisioning technical opportunities to continuously extract the formed glyceraldehyde from the mixture.