Influence of Reaction Parameters on the Catalytic Upgrading of an Acetone, Butanol, and Ethanol (ABE) Mixture: Exploring New Routes for Modern Biorefineries

Abstract

Here we present a comprehensive study on the effect of reaction parameters on the upgrade of an acetone, butanol and ethanol mixture-key molecules and platform products of great interest within the chemical sector. Using a selected high performing catalyst, Fe/MgO-Al₂O₃, the variation of temperature, reaction time, catalytic loading, and reactant molar ratio have been examined in this reaction. This work is aiming to not only optimize the reaction conditions previously used, but to step toward using less energy, time, and material by testing those conditions and analyzing the sufficiency of the results. Herein, we demonstrate that this reaction is favored at higher temperatures and longer reaction time. Also, we observe that increasing the catalyst loading had a positive effect on the product yields, while reactant ratios have shown to produce varied results due to the role of each reactant in the complex reaction network. In line with the aim of reducing energy and costs, this work showcases that the products from the upgrading route have significantly higher market value than the reactants; highlighting that this process represents an appealing route to be implemented in modern biorefineries.

Keywords: ABE upgrade; Fe catalyst; green chemistry; long chain hydrocarbons; reaction optimization.