Modified basicity of MgFe mixed metal oxides catalysts for glycerol conversion to form glycerol carbonate via the transesterification route

Mixed metal oxides (MMOs) of magnesium and iron, with different Mg:Fe ratios, were synthesized via co-precipitation and used for the transesterification of glycerol (GLY) with dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The hydrotalcite-like precursors with corresponding mixed metal oxides were characterized by X-ray...

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Main Authors: Sakhile T. Dube, Lindelani Q. Qwabe, Holger B. Friedrich
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Applied Catalysis O: Open
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950648425000409
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author Sakhile T. Dube
Lindelani Q. Qwabe
Holger B. Friedrich
author_facet Sakhile T. Dube
Lindelani Q. Qwabe
Holger B. Friedrich
author_sort Sakhile T. Dube
collection DOAJ
description Mixed metal oxides (MMOs) of magnesium and iron, with different Mg:Fe ratios, were synthesized via co-precipitation and used for the transesterification of glycerol (GLY) with dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The hydrotalcite-like precursors with corresponding mixed metal oxides were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2 adsorption-desorption, temperature-programmed NH3 desorption (TPD) and CO2 temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). XRD analysis of the precursor confirmed the presence of hydrotalcite-like species, whereas their calcined form showed the formation of MgO, Fe2O3 and MgFe2O4 spinel. The binding energies at 1305 and 710 eV in the XPS showed the presence of Mg2+ and Fe3+. The CO2-TPD results show that the basicity of the material increases with increasing MgO content, while the NH3-TPD shows that the acidity decreases with decreasing Fe3+ content. An increase in the MgO phase favoured the formation of glycerol carbonate (GC) with a selectivity of 95 %. Recycle experiments showed that the catalysts were stable and gave conversions of 93 % and selectivity of 95 % very close to those of the fresh catalysts.
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series Applied Catalysis O: Open
spelling doaj-art-78c87b5f66f549a6b7e6bde73b0ade332025-08-20T03:59:35ZengElsevierApplied Catalysis O: Open2950-64842025-09-0120620706510.1016/j.apcato.2025.207065Modified basicity of MgFe mixed metal oxides catalysts for glycerol conversion to form glycerol carbonate via the transesterification routeSakhile T. Dube0Lindelani Q. Qwabe1Holger B. Friedrich2School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X 54001, Durban 4000, South Africa; Faculty of Natural Science, Department of Chemistry, Mangosuthu University of Technology, 511 Mangosuthu Highway, Durban 4000, South AfricaFaculty of Natural Science, Department of Chemistry, Mangosuthu University of Technology, 511 Mangosuthu Highway, Durban 4000, South Africa; Corresponding author.School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X 54001, Durban 4000, South AfricaMixed metal oxides (MMOs) of magnesium and iron, with different Mg:Fe ratios, were synthesized via co-precipitation and used for the transesterification of glycerol (GLY) with dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The hydrotalcite-like precursors with corresponding mixed metal oxides were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2 adsorption-desorption, temperature-programmed NH3 desorption (TPD) and CO2 temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). XRD analysis of the precursor confirmed the presence of hydrotalcite-like species, whereas their calcined form showed the formation of MgO, Fe2O3 and MgFe2O4 spinel. The binding energies at 1305 and 710 eV in the XPS showed the presence of Mg2+ and Fe3+. The CO2-TPD results show that the basicity of the material increases with increasing MgO content, while the NH3-TPD shows that the acidity decreases with decreasing Fe3+ content. An increase in the MgO phase favoured the formation of glycerol carbonate (GC) with a selectivity of 95 %. Recycle experiments showed that the catalysts were stable and gave conversions of 93 % and selectivity of 95 % very close to those of the fresh catalysts.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950648425000409MgFe hydrotalcite-likeMg-Fe mixed metal oxidesGlycerolGlycerol carbonate and transesterification
spellingShingle Sakhile T. Dube
Lindelani Q. Qwabe
Holger B. Friedrich
Modified basicity of MgFe mixed metal oxides catalysts for glycerol conversion to form glycerol carbonate via the transesterification route
Applied Catalysis O: Open
MgFe hydrotalcite-like
Mg-Fe mixed metal oxides
Glycerol
Glycerol carbonate and transesterification
title Modified basicity of MgFe mixed metal oxides catalysts for glycerol conversion to form glycerol carbonate via the transesterification route
title_full Modified basicity of MgFe mixed metal oxides catalysts for glycerol conversion to form glycerol carbonate via the transesterification route
title_fullStr Modified basicity of MgFe mixed metal oxides catalysts for glycerol conversion to form glycerol carbonate via the transesterification route
title_full_unstemmed Modified basicity of MgFe mixed metal oxides catalysts for glycerol conversion to form glycerol carbonate via the transesterification route
title_short Modified basicity of MgFe mixed metal oxides catalysts for glycerol conversion to form glycerol carbonate via the transesterification route
title_sort modified basicity of mgfe mixed metal oxides catalysts for glycerol conversion to form glycerol carbonate via the transesterification route
topic MgFe hydrotalcite-like
Mg-Fe mixed metal oxides
Glycerol
Glycerol carbonate and transesterification
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950648425000409
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AT holgerbfriedrich modifiedbasicityofmgfemixedmetaloxidescatalystsforglycerolconversiontoformglycerolcarbonateviathetransesterificationroute