title: Synthesis of oxygenated fuel additives via the solventless etherification of glycerol.
abstract: The synthesis of oxygenated fuel additives via solvent freebase-catalyzed etherification of glycerol is reported. The products of glycerol etherification arediglycerol (DG) and triglycerol (TG) with DG being the favorable one. The catalytic activity of different homogeneous alkali catalysts (LiOH, NaOH, KOH and Na(2)CO(3)) was investigated during the glycerol etherification process. LiOH exhibited an excellent catalytic activity during this reaction, indicated by the complete glycerol conversion with a corresponding selectivity of 33% toward DG. The best reaction conditions were a reaction temperature of 240°C, a catalyst/glycerol mass ratio of 0.02 and a reaction time of 6h. The influences of various reaction variables such as nature of the catalyst, catalyst loading, reaction time and reaction temperature on glycerol etherification were elucidated. Industrially, the findings attained in this study might contribute towards promoting the biodiesel industry through utilization of its by-products.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayoub
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Khayoon
authors.forename: Ahmad Zuhairi
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Abdullah
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels / Q000032:analysis*; D002384:Catalysis; D004075:Diglycerides / Q000737:chemistry; D004987:Ethers / Q000737:chemistry*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D018020:Lithium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D004075:Diglycerides; D004987:Ethers; D018020:Lithium Compounds; D012997:Solvents; C028467:lithium hydroxide; D005990:Glycerol; D010100:Oxygen