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Preparation of millimeter-sized spherical SiO2–Al2O3 with various acid catalysts for the acetalization of glycerol with acetone

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Abstract

Through the sol-gel-oil ammonia column method, millimeter-sized spherical SiO2–Al2O3 particles were successfully prepared using aluminum isopropoxide and varying amounts of tetraethyl orthosilicate. The impact of different Al/Si molar ratios on the structure and performance of SiO2–Al2O3 materials was thoroughly investigated. The surface of the samples was analyzed for acidic sites (Brønsted and Lewis acids) both qualitatively and quantitatively. The millimeter-sized spherical SiO2–Al2O3 materials were used as a catalyst in the Solketal production process, involving acetalization of acetone and glycerol. The glycerin conversion rate reached 88.67% and the Solketal selectivity reached 93.28% when the SiO2–Al2O3 spherical particles reached with Al/Si molar ratio of 8. The spherical SiO2–Al2O3 exhibits high catalytic activity in the acetalization reaction due to its large specific surface area, thermal stability, and moderate Brønsted and Lewis acidity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Yongjun Ji for his assistance of acidimetric estimation. This work was financially supported by the “14th Five Year ” Plan National Key R&D Plan (2022YFC3701700).

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  1. School of Light Industry Science and Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University, Haidian, Beijing, 100048, China

    Xiang Meng, Xiulan Xin, Tiantian Zhang, Yang Yu & Yuqing Cheng

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  1. Xiang Meng
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Xiang Meng wrote the main manuscript text . Xiulan Xin provided some modification suggestions. Tiantian Zhang assisted in analyzing experimental data. Yang Yu and Yuqing Cheng provided assisitance for the experiment.

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Correspondence to Xiulan Xin.

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Meng, X., Xin, X., Zhang, T. et al. Preparation of millimeter-sized spherical SiO2–Al2O3 with various acid catalysts for the acetalization of glycerol with acetone. J Porous Mater (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10934-024-01558-z

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