Bio-additive fuels from glycerol acetalization over metals-containing vanadium oxide nanotubes (MeVOx-NT in which, Me = Ni, Co, or Pt)

The biodiesel production has led to a drastic surplus of glycerol and catalytic conversion of glycerol into value-added products is of great industrial importance. Thus, the acetalization of glycerol with ketone or aldehydes allows the glycerol transformation into bio-additive fuels. In this work, metals-containing vanadium oxides nanotubes (MeVOx NT in which, Me = Co, Pt or Ni) have been synthesized with additional internal porosity and tested in the acetalization of glycerol with acetone (AG) for valuable biofuels production. The catalysts showed remarkable performances in the AG reaction. Furthermore, by variation of the composition, catalyst loading and temperature and using distinct substrates (butyraldehyde, furfuraldehyde and benzaldehyde), NiVOxNT is active, being very selective to solketal and reciclable for 4 times in the AG reaction. On the contrary, pure VOx NT easily deactivated due to the structure agent removal during the reaction, which promote the collapse of the tubular structure. The CoVOxNT and PtVOxNT catalysts did not exhibit such a stable structure and easily deactivated in the reaction due to leaching of the metals oxides during the AG.