Publisher: Elsevier BV

Issue:

License: https://www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/

Publication date(s): 2018/12 (print)

Pages: 618-628

Volume: 238 Issue:

Journal: Applied Catalysis B: Environmental

Link: https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0926337318306167?httpAccept=text/xml

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apcatb.2018.07.008

Sustainable technologies require both renewable feedstocks and catalysts that are able to direct their conversion to specific products. We establish a structure-activity relationship for the aqueous phase reforming of glycerol over 2% Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts, whereby the reaction pathway can be controlled to produce either hydrogen or 1,2-propanediol as the main product. Using the colloidal synthesis method, the reduction temperature was altered to produce Pt nanoparticle catalysts supported on Al₂O₃ with varying Pt particle size. The catalytic activity of the samples for the APR of glycerol resulted in a higher conversion of glycerol (34%) for the larger Pt particle size of ∼3.5 nm, producing the liquid 1,2-propanediol as the major product with a yield of 12.5%, whereas smaller particles of ∼2.2 nm gave hydrogen as the main product (5.5% yield). This work demonstrates how the APR of glycerol can be tuned to yield both valuable liquid and gas products using tailored Pt nanoparticles.