Ru Nanoparticles Supported on Mesoporous Al-SBA-15 Catalysts for Highly Selective Hydrogenation of Furfural to Furfuryl Alcohol

Abstract

Furfuryl alcohol, which is the hydrogenated product of furfural, has been identified as a very promising platform chemical with high potential for applications in the manufacture of key chemicals, lubricants, fragrances, and pharmaceuticals. In this work, bare SB, and x % Ru/Al-SB (x=1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 wt. %) samples were fabricated by a hydrothermal method. Bare and most active catalysts were characterized by different techniques, such as BET, FE-SEM, TEM, FT-IR, and XRD, to understand their physical and chemical properties. An evaluation of the effects of various reaction parameters, such as catalyst loading, reaction temperature, and reaction time, on the catalytic performance, showed higher catalytic conversion of furfural and selectivity for the desired products. The most active RuS3 catalyst showed 100 % conversion of furfural and 99 % selectivity for furfuryl alcohol. It could be reused for five consecutive reaction cycles without significant loss of performance. In addition, Ru leaching and loss of conversion or selectivity were not noticed during the five-run recycling test. The EDS elemental mapping analysis of the used catalyst established the preservation of the mesoporous structure, suggesting a strong interaction between the hexagonal porous silicate and the Ru nanoparticles.