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Water-tolerant cerium-modified zeolite catalyst for glycerol etherification
Author(s)
Date Issued
February 1, 2026
Type
Article
Abstract
The transformation of glycerol into alkyl ethers, which are utilized as oxygenated fuel additives, is the main topic of this study. Zeolite and cerium-modified zeolite catalysts were prepared and characterized, then evaluated for their efficacy in the etherification of glycerol with tertiary butanol. In comparison to the parent HBeta catalyst, the cerium-modified HBeta catalyst (CeHBeta), which was prepared by impregnation, demonstrated high catalytic performance in glycerol etherification, particularly at lower reaction temperatures. The cerium species can be present as charge-balancing cations and inserted into the framework. CeHBeta is therefore hydrophobic, unlike the parent catalyst. The CeHBeta catalyst may become more active if the water molecules preferentially occupying the Brønsted acid sites are reduced. While Brønsted acid sites are indispensable for the reaction, a synergistic effect with surface hydrophobicity significantly enhances catalytic performance, with CeHBeta exhibiting superior activity. Furthermore, the experiments show that a higher reaction time, molar ratio of glycerol to alcohol, reaction temperature and amount of catalyst lead to a higher selectivity for di-alkyl ether and a higher glycerol conversion.
Citation
Surfaces and Interfaces, 82, 2026