Abstract
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► Pd/MCM-41 and Pd/SBA-15 were used for the succinic acid hydrogenation. ► The different pore size of the supports affected the size and the location of Pd particles. ► Cyclic chemicals (GBL and THF) were favorably produced with Pd/SBA-15. ► Pd/MCM-41 has larger Pd particles than Pd/SBA-15 and favorably produced BDO.
In this study, we examined the effect of the textural properties of support materials on the palladium-catalyzed hydrogenation of succinic acid using mesoporous supports (MCM-41 and SBA-15). The physicochemical properties of these prepared heterogeneous catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). When palladium was loaded into the mesoporous supports by incipient wetness method, most palladium particles was incorporated inside the pore channels of SBA-15 support whereas the majority of particles were formed external to the pores of MCM-41 support. The small size of the palladium particles and the large pores of the Pd/SBA-15 catalyst enhanced the catalytic activity on the hydrogenation of succinic acid and the production of γ-butyrolactone (GBL) and tetrahydrofuran (THF); for Pd/MCM-41 catalyst, it was found that the large Pd particles and the small pore size enhanced the production of 1,4-butanediol (BDO). These catalysts showed promise as sustainable alternatives to current methods of manufacture for hydrocarbon derived products such as GBL, THF and BDO.