Conversion of Glycerol to Lactic Acid in an alkaline medium using SiO2 supported copper catalysts

• Autor(a) principal: Cruz, Andreza de Faria Alves
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Muchave, Germildo Juvenal, Aranda, Donato Alexandre Gomes
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Research, Society and Development
• Texto Completo: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/25652
• topic: Ácido Lático; Glicerol; Catalisadores; Glicerol.; Ácido Láctico; Catalizadores; Cobre; Glicerol.; Lactic Acid; Catalysts; Copper; Glycerol.

Lactic acid is one of the materials with high added value that can be obtained through glycerol, having the most varied applications in different industries, with current emphasis on its important application in obtaining polylactic acid (PLA). The objective of this work was the production of lactic acid from glycerol in an alkaline medium using two different copper catalysts supported on silica (SiO2) with 5% copper on the mass of the glycerol solution, using a simple batch reaction system. For all catalysts, the catalytic tests were carried out with a NaOH/glycerol mass ratio of 1:1 and a NaOH concentration equal to 0.6 M. With the catalyst 9%Cu/SiO2-D2, the catalytic tests were carried out in a reaction time of 6 hours, using temperatures of 220ºC, 250ºC, 280ºC and 300ºC, with glycerol concentrations of 0.6 M and 3.3 M. The results of glycerol conversion (58,9%) and selectivity of lactic acid (69,4%) were satisfactory at higher temperatures (280ºC and 300ºC). Tests with the catalyst 9%Cu/SiO2-F1 were carried out using the glycerol concentration equal to 0.6 M, reaction time of 6 hours and temperatures of 250ºC, 280ºC and 300ºC. The results indicated a good conversion of glycerol (54.0%) and selectivity to lactic acid (59.8%) at higher temperatures (300ºC). Thus, it was concluded that the catalysts were favorable in these reactions. The reaction temperature combined with the reaction time proved to be essential parameters in evaluating the conversion and selectivity to lactic acid.