Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2018, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (6): 1027-1037.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(18)63074-8

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Pt/Nb-WOx for the chemoselective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol: Nb dopant pacifying the over-reduction of WOx supports

Man Yanga,b, Xiaochen Zhaoa, Yujing Rena,b, Jia Wangc, Nian Leia,b, Aiqin Wanga, Tao Zhanga   

  1. a State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, Liaoning, China;
    b University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China;
    c College of Forestry, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
  • Received:2018-03-02 Revised:2018-04-10 Online:2018-06-18 Published:2018-05-16
  • Contact: 10.1016/S1872-2067(18)63074-8
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (2169008, 21690084, 21673228, 21303187, 21403218), the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB17020100), Key Projects for Fundamental Research and Development of China (2016YFA0202801), and DICP ZZBS 201612.

Abstract:

Selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PD) is an important yet challenging method for the transformation of biomass into value-added chemicals due to steric hindrance and unfavorable thermodynamics. In previous studies, chemoselective performances were found demanding and sensitive to H2 pressure. In this regard, we manipulate the chemical/physical characteristics of the catalyst supports via doping Nb into WOx and prepared 1D needle-, 2D flake-, and 3D sphere-stack mesoporous structured Nb-WOx with increased surface acid sites. Moreover, Nb doping can successfully inhibit the over-reduction of active W species during glycerol hydrogenolysis and substantially broaden the optimal H2 pressure from 1 to 5 MPa. When Nb doping is 2%, supported Pt catalysts showed promising performance for the selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,3-PD over an unprecedentedly wide H2 pressure range, which will guarantee better catalyst stability in the long run, as well as expand their applications to other hydrogen-related reactions.

Key words: Nb-doped WOx, Glycerol, 1,3-propanediol, Selective hydrogenolysis