Applied Catalysis A: General, Vol.543, 133-140, 2017
Bimetallic Pd-Fe supported on gamma-Al2O3 catalyst used in the ring opening of 2-methylfuran to selective formation of alcohols
This work presents the hydrogenation of 2-methylfuran (2-MF) in gaseous fluid phase into a catalytic reactor in order to obtain products with good properties to be used as biofuel. Bimetallic nanoparticles were obtained by impregnation on Al2O3 from the classic catalytic metals used in hydrogenation reactions such as platinum and palladium, combined with iron, to observe the catalytic activity and the selectivity to form interest biofuel compounds. Pt, Pd, Pt-Fe and Pd-Fe catalysts (with 0.5% wt. metal content) supported on alumina were reduced at 450 degrees C and tested. At 200 degrees C, Pt/Al2O3 and Pt-Fe/Al2O3 catalysts presented less than 19% conversion and the main formed product was pentene (90% selectivity). The Pd/Al2O3 catalyst conversion of 2-MF was of 5% at 200 degrees C, obtaining 1-pentanol and 1-butanol as products, together with a 28% of selectivity. The Pd-Fe/Al2O3 catalyst presented the highest conversion of 2-MF at 200 degrees C of 31%, the production of alcohols such as 1-pentanol, 2-pentanol and 1-butanol summed a selectivity of 39%. Since the Pd-Fe/Al2O3 catalyst presented the best performance, it was analyzed under high-resolution transmission electron microscopy technique. The HRTEM image revealed the presence of 5 nm size nanoparticles over the alumina, and Pd and Fe oxide nano particles were identified measuring the interplanar distances of exposed planes. A FePd3 nanoparticle alloy was also identified, which was the difference in having a greater hydrogenation efficiency for the 2-MF molecule.