Non-catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone using needle-in-tube dielectric barrier discharge plasma

Abstract Glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production, could be converted into various value-added products. This work focuses on its dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is mainly used in the cosmetics industry. While several methods have been employed for DHA production, some necessi...

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Main Authors: Grittima Kongprawes, Doonyapong Wongsawaeng, Peter Hosemann, Kanokwan Ngaosuwan, Worapon Kiatkittipong, Suttichai Assabumrungrat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82691-2
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author Grittima Kongprawes
Doonyapong Wongsawaeng
Peter Hosemann
Kanokwan Ngaosuwan
Worapon Kiatkittipong
Suttichai Assabumrungrat
author_facet Grittima Kongprawes
Doonyapong Wongsawaeng
Peter Hosemann
Kanokwan Ngaosuwan
Worapon Kiatkittipong
Suttichai Assabumrungrat
author_sort Grittima Kongprawes
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production, could be converted into various value-added products. This work focuses on its dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is mainly used in the cosmetics industry. While several methods have been employed for DHA production, some necessitate catalysts and involve harsh reaction conditions as well as long reaction times. A needle-in-tube type dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technique for catalyst-free and environmentally-friendly glycerol conversion into DHA via dehydrogenation process was investigated using 0.1 M glycerol dissolved in deionized (DI) water at ambient temperature and pressure. The optimal condition was 60 W input power, 5 mm gap distance between the end of the needle and the liquid surface, and 0.5 L/min He flow rate. The highest DHA yield of 29.3% was obtained at 3 h with a DHA selectivity of 51.6% and glycerol conversion of 56.9%. Although the system allowed over 80% of glycerol to transform after 5 h, the DHA yield decreased after 3 h because the DHA product could further react with the reactive species in the plasma. The catalyst-free DBD plasma technique offers a simple and environmentally conscious method for DHA production via the dehydrogenation of glycerol.
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spelling doaj-art-3c8a88b4a2f549f491e21d0470f15f632025-08-20T02:39:40ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-12-0114111610.1038/s41598-024-82691-2Non-catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone using needle-in-tube dielectric barrier discharge plasmaGrittima Kongprawes0Doonyapong Wongsawaeng1Peter Hosemann2Kanokwan Ngaosuwan3Worapon Kiatkittipong4Suttichai Assabumrungrat5Research Unit on Plasma Technology for High-Performance Materials Development, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn UniversityResearch Unit on Plasma Technology for High-Performance Materials Development, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn UniversityDepartment of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of California at BerkeleyDivision of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Rajamangala University of Technology KrungthepDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Technology, Silpakorn UniversityCenter of Excellence in Catalysis and Catalytic Reaction Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn UniversityAbstract Glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production, could be converted into various value-added products. This work focuses on its dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is mainly used in the cosmetics industry. While several methods have been employed for DHA production, some necessitate catalysts and involve harsh reaction conditions as well as long reaction times. A needle-in-tube type dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma technique for catalyst-free and environmentally-friendly glycerol conversion into DHA via dehydrogenation process was investigated using 0.1 M glycerol dissolved in deionized (DI) water at ambient temperature and pressure. The optimal condition was 60 W input power, 5 mm gap distance between the end of the needle and the liquid surface, and 0.5 L/min He flow rate. The highest DHA yield of 29.3% was obtained at 3 h with a DHA selectivity of 51.6% and glycerol conversion of 56.9%. Although the system allowed over 80% of glycerol to transform after 5 h, the DHA yield decreased after 3 h because the DHA product could further react with the reactive species in the plasma. The catalyst-free DBD plasma technique offers a simple and environmentally conscious method for DHA production via the dehydrogenation of glycerol.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82691-2
spellingShingle Grittima Kongprawes
Doonyapong Wongsawaeng
Peter Hosemann
Kanokwan Ngaosuwan
Worapon Kiatkittipong
Suttichai Assabumrungrat
Non-catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone using needle-in-tube dielectric barrier discharge plasma
Scientific Reports
title Non-catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone using needle-in-tube dielectric barrier discharge plasma
title_full Non-catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone using needle-in-tube dielectric barrier discharge plasma
title_fullStr Non-catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone using needle-in-tube dielectric barrier discharge plasma
title_full_unstemmed Non-catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone using needle-in-tube dielectric barrier discharge plasma
title_short Non-catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone using needle-in-tube dielectric barrier discharge plasma
title_sort non catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation to dihydroxyacetone using needle in tube dielectric barrier discharge plasma
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82691-2
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