C−C Bonds Cleavage of Biomass-Derived Glycerol to Methane and Ethylene Glycol in Aqueous Phase Over Highly Dispersed Ru-Based Catalysts

Graphical An alternative method for glycerol hydrogenolysis to CH 4 and ethylene glycol that proceeds through preferential C−C bonds cleavage catalyzed by highly-dispersed Ru catalysts with tunable particle sizes via carbothermal reduction has been reported. An alternative method for the conversion of crude glycerol was proposed to produce renewable energy methane and high-value chemical ethylene glycol through preferential cleavage of C−C bonds, catalyzed by highly dispersed Ru-based catalysts prepared by carbothermal reduction. It was found that the Ru particles size could be tuned by adjusting the reduction temperature, and the size firstly decreased then increased with raising of the temperature of carbothermal reduction. This resulted in the opposite tendency of catalytic performance against the Ru particle sizes in hydrogenolysis of glycerol, in which the glycerol conversion and yield of C−C bond cleavage increased firstly and then decreased. Ru catalysts carbothermal reduced at 450 °C possessed highly dispersed Ru nanoparticles with uniform particle sizes about 1.0 nm that showed high hydrogenation activity and selectivity of C−C bond cleavage as well as good stability that could be recycled in aqueous phase hydrogenolysis of glycerol.