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There are many problems associated with the use of fossil fuels to produce fuels and chemicals, and lignocellulosic biomass stands as a promising alternative fuel/chemical feedstock. Large scale processing of biomass will likely take place in high temperature liquid water due to the low vapor pressure and polar nature of carbohydrates. However, little is known about the material stability of these catalysts in high temperature aqueous phase environments. This dissertation aims to investigate the structural integrity of some common catalytic materials under typical biomass reforming conditions. There are 3 main objectives of this study: 1) identify potentially stable candidates from commonly used materials, 2) understand the mechanism(s) by which these catalysts degrade, 3) design/modify catalysts in an effort to increase their hydrothermal stability. The two main materials investigated in this work are zeolites (faujasite, ZSM-5) and γ-Al2O3 as these are commonly used as catalysts and catalyst supports. A number of physicochemical techniques were used to characterize the materials as a function of treatment time at conditions relevant for biomass reforming. For zeolites, the major findings are that ZSM-5 framework is highly stable whereas faujasite stability depends on the Si/Al ratio, where silicon rich materials are less stable. For γ-Al2O3 based catalysts, it was found that the alumina support hydrates and undergoes a phase transformation to form crystalline boehmite (AlOOH) with a subsequent loss in surface area and Lewis acid sites. When metal particles are present on the support, the phase change kinetics are slowed. The role of metal precursor on the stability of γ-Al2O3 supported catalysts was also explored, and it was found that the precursor used in catalyst synthesis changes the boehmite formation kinetics and also affects alumina support dissolution. The final thrust aims to stabilize a Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalyst by depositing silicon on the catalyst surface. The silicon modification is effective in protecting the catalyst from boehmite formation upon exposure to hot liquid water while also stabilizing metal particles against sintering. Additionally, an increase in turnover number for hydrogen production via aqueous phase reforming of sorbitol was observed.

Dramatic increases in the price of crude oil, and consequently, transportation fuels, coupled with increased environmental concerns have resulted in rapid growth in biodiesel production. Thus, so does production of the primary coproduct, glycerol, which has become a worrying factor because for every ton of biodiesel produced, are generated 100 Kg of glycerol. Because this reality research has been developed to search alternatives for the use of glycerol. So, an application for this alcohol is the search for value-added chemicals such as propylene glycol and others. Reactions of aqueous phase reforming of glycerol were performed without the addition of hydrogen and streaming using monometallic catalysts of Re and Pt and bimetallic Pt-Re all supported on carbon Black . We used an aqueous solution of glycerol feeding 80% m / m, temperature of 275°C and 30 bar pressure. WHSV was varied and the content thus evaluating Re, its influence on the Pt catalysts, the stability and activity. The catalysts was characterized for temperature-programmed reduction (TPR); chemisorption of CO studies; temperature-programmed desorption-CO (TPD-CO); temperature-programmed desorption-isopropylamine (TPD-IPA). Studies of RTP for the bimetallic catalysts Pt-Re showed that rhenium interacts strongly with the platinum and possibly, precursor species are formed bimetallic alloy. CO chemisorption experiments resulted in the formation of the alloys of Pt-Re / C. The results of TPD-CO demonstrated that the addition of Re to the catalyst Pt / C changes the surface of Pt and collaborates with the weakening of bond strength of the CO molecule to the sites involved. Through the catalytic reactions studied and a qualitative analysis of chromatograms from high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) was possible to verify from the reaction of aqueous phase reforming of glycerol, the formation 1,2-propanediol and other products. / O grande aumento no preço do petróleo e conseqüentemente o transporte de combustíveis, juntamente com as preocupações ambientais resultaram em um rápido crescimento na produção de biodiesel. Assim, o mesmo acontece com a produção do subproduto, o glicerol, o qual se tornou um fator preocupante já que para cada tonelada de biodiesel obtido, são gerados 100 Kg de glicerol. Devido a esta realidade pesquisas vem sendo desenvolvidas para buscar alternativas para a utilização deste excedente. Dentro deste contexto, uma aplicação para este álcool é a busca de produtos químicos de valor agregado como o propanodiol e outros. Reações de reforma líquida do glicerol foram realizadas sem a adição de hidrogênio e em fluxo contínuo utilizando catalisadores monometálicos de Re e Pt e bimetálicos Pt-Re todos suportados em carbono Black . Foi utilizada uma solução aquosa de alimentação de glicerol 80 % m/m, temperatura de 275ºC, e pressão 30 bar. Variou-se o WHSV e teor de Re avaliando, portanto a influência deste sobre os catalisadores de Pt, a estabilidade e atividade. Os catalisadores foram caracterizados por redução à temperatura programada (RTP) quimissorção de CO, dessorção de CO à temperatura programada (DTP-CO) e dessorção de isopropilamina à temperatura programada (DTP-IPA). Os estudos de RTP para os catalisadores bimetálicos de Pt-Re demonstraram que o rênio interage fortemente com a platina e que possivelmente, espécies precursoras de ligas bimetálicas são formadas. Experimentos de quimissorção de CO resultaram na formação de ligas para os catalisadores de Pt-Re/C. Os resultados de DTP-CO demonstraram que a adição de Re ao catalisador de Pt/C altera a superfície da Pt e colabora com o enfraquecimento da força de ligação da molécula do CO aos sítios envolvidos. Através dos testes catalíticos estudados e uma análise qualitativa dos cromatogramas de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE) e cromatografia gasosa acoplada ao espectrômetro de massas (CG/MS), foi possível verificar a partir da reação de reforma líquida do glicerol, a formação 1,2-propanodiol e outros produtos. / Mestre em Química

Biomass is one of the most promising replacements for fossil fuels as a feedstock for chemical and transportation fuel production. The combination of low vapor pressure and high polarity of most biomass derived molecules makes water the ideal solvent for biomass upgrading reaction schemes. Metal oxide and metal oxide supported catalysts are heavily used in oil refining and petrochemical production, and are capable of upgrading biomass molecules as well. However, the surface chemistries that dictate the behavior of aqueous phase biomass upgrading reactions over metal oxide catalysts are not nearly as well understood as in the case of gas phase hydrocarbon refining systems. This dissertation aims to investigate the surface chemistries of biomass derived oxygenate molecules on metal oxide and metal oxide supported metal catalysts. There are three main objectives in this dissertation: to understand how two and three carbon polyols interact with metal oxide surfaces, to elucidate the role of various surface sites on polyol-metal oxide interactions, and to discover the surface species of kinetic importance in aqueous phase reforming reactions of biomass molecules. Transmission infrared spectroscopy and density functional theory modeling were the major techniques used to demonstrate that polyols with alcohol groups on the first and third carbons, 1,3-propanediol and glycerol, form a multidentate surface species with a bridging alkoxide bond and an acid/base interaction through their two primary alcohol groups with Lewis acid sites of g-Al₂O₃. These interactions occur in the presence of bulk water. Polyols with alcohol groups only on the first and second carbons, ethylene glycol and 1,2-propanediol, only formed alkoxy bonds with the g-Al₂O₃ surface when bulk water was not coadsorbed, and these bonds were removed by re-adsorbing water. Glycerol also forms the same surface species on other metal oxides with strong Lewis acidic character: TiO₂ anatase, ZrO₂, and CeO₂. Glycerol only forms hydrogen bonds with MgO, which lacks strongly Lewis acidic sites. Basic surface hydroxyls and surface oxygen atoms of the metal oxides only played a minor role in interacting with the adsorbed glycerol. In-situ attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that the aqueous phase reforming of glycerol over a 5 wt% Pt on g-Al₂O₃ catalyst is hindered by residual platinum bound hydrogen or oxygen atoms from commonly utilized catalyst reduction or cleaning procedures, respectively. A pretreatment consisting of multiple iterations of dissolved oxygen, dissolved hydrogen, and dissolved helium in water flow periods provides the cleanest Pt surface for monitoring carbon monoxide formation dynamics, and allows for observing the rate limiting step of the aqueous phase reforming reactions water-gas shift removal of Pt bound carbon monoxide. The bridging bound carbon monoxide is preferentially removed over the linearly bound species via water gas shift reactions even at room temperature.