Síntese e caracterização do catalisador AlSBA-15 para utilização na reação de eterificação do glicerol com etanol

Abstract

Glycerol is the main byproduct in biodiesel production through the transesterification reaction of vegetable oils and animal fats. Although this byproduct is used in the most diverse applications the market does not absorb all the glycerol produced, therefore, the etherification reaction of glycerol with ethanol is a viable alternative for the consumption of this byproduct and for the generation of additives used in liquid fuels. However, for this reaction to occur, the presence of an acid catalyst is necessary. In this context the development of this work took place, being the synthesis and characterization of AlSBA-15, which initially is an excellent catalytic support, however, with the incorporation of aluminum in its structure its catalytic potential is increased. The characterization of the synthesized structure, AlSBA-15, was verified using the techniques of Thermogravimetric Analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Nitrogen Adsorption and Desorption Analysis and X-Ray Diffraction, obtaining similar results to the results found by Zhao et al. (1998), in the synthesis of SBA-15, that is, the characteristics of the SBA-15 structure were maintained even after the addition of aluminum, therefore, the AlSBA-15 structure was synthesized with success.