Lithium loaded coal fly ash as sustainable and effective catalyst for the synthesis of glycerol carbonate from glycerol

Abstract

Coal fly ash (CFA) has been employed as a catalytic support for lithium ions by impregnation. The basicity, basic strength, and stability of the resultant catalyst were further tuned by varying active species concentration (1 wt%–7 wt%) and calcination temperature (300–600 °C). The relationship between the basic properties of catalyst and their catalytic activity towards the conversion of glycerol (GL) was determined experimentally. It was found that 2 wt% lithium loaded CFA, calcined at 500 °C exhibited a maximum yield of glycerol carbonate (GC). The maximum catalytic activity was achieved at 90 °C with a reaction time of 2 h, 96.33% GL conversion, and 91.74% GC yield. Furthermore, ODE 15 s solver was used to evaluate reaction kinetics of the transesterification reaction. The activation energy was calculated and as 26.50 kJ/mol. The proposed work has the potential to uplift the economy of biodiesel industry.