Degradation of glycerol to ethanol using x/Y zeolite (x=H, Ni, Mo, NiMo) catalyst by sonication method

The performance of the Y Zeolite (YZ) catalyst can be improved by metal impregnation. The purposes of this study were to determine the characteristics and effectenes of the H/YZ, Ni/YZ, Mo/YZ, and NiMo/YZ catalyst, and the effect of the time of sonication on the glycerol degradation reaction to ethanol using the sonication method. The study began with the preparation and activation of YZ using NH4Cl 1M solution. The activated YZ was then impregnated with nickel metal, molybdenum metal, and their mixtures. Catalyst characterization using XRD, XRF, acidity test, and surface area test. As a result, (a) nickel and molybdenum metals successfully impregnated into YZ, (b) H/YZ, Ni/YZ, Mo/YZ (Predictable), and NiMo/YZ (Predictable) catalysts had a crystalline phase, (c) the highest catalyst acidity value was NiMo/YZ of 1.0810 mmol/gram, (d) the largest catalyst surface area was H/YZ of 110.321 m2/g. The NiMo/YZ catalyst is more effective than the H/YZ, Ni/YZ, and NiMo/YZ, because it produced the highest %yield ethanol both at 4 hours (4.49%) and 6 hours (27.33%). The time of sonication greatly influenced the percentage of ethanol yield in the glycerol degradation reaction. The longer the time of sonication, the higher % the yield of ethanol produced.