Valorisation of Glycerol as Renewable Feedstock: Comparison of the Exploration of Chemical Transformation Methods Aided by High Throughput Experimentation

Abstract

Renewable feedstocks have been in the spotlight of intensive research activities over the past 10 years. Glycerol is one of the feedstock molecules which has been the target of numerous research efforts, for a number of reasons. First of all glycerol is currently readily available due to the fact that it is a couple product of the first generation biodiesel production. Secondly glycerol can be taken as a representative model substrate to explore the options of selective conversion of sugar alcohols to products of value. In our paper we discuss potential routes for the valorisation of glycerol which lead to intermediates already established within the petrochemical value chain and illustrate what impact high throughput experimentation may have as a success factor on research and development for this field. As illustrative examples we have chosen the oxidative transformation of glycerol to acrolein and acrylic acid and the carbonylation of glycerol to C4-acids.

Applications of high throughput (combinatorial) methodologies to electronic, magnetic, optical, and energy-related materials

“…Further, some high throughput fields of great importance, such as discovery and optimization of catalysts (well accepted and integrated into the field), are largely omitted from this review. In contrast to many of the topics covered in this review, highthroughput catalyst development is perhaps more prevalent in industry than in academia; [17][18][19][20][21] a number of critical reviews and perspectives have been published, 2,22-27 which we recommend to the reader. Another area where combinatorial strategies have played a significant role in advancing the field is in polymeric and soft materials, and recent reviews of this field are available.…”

Modification of absorbent poly(glycerol‐glutaric acid) films by the addition of monoglycerides

“…The transesterification of triglycerides using an appropriate catalyst is the predominant method used to produce biodiesel in the form of monoalkyl esters and glycerol as a byproduct . The abundance of glycerol, largely due to increased production of biodiesel and its relatively low cost in commodity markets makes it an attractive feedstock for chemical industries . In recent years, with an intent to make glycerol more commercially attractive in materials formulations, the USDA has led research efforts to co‐polymerize glycerol to produce gels that can be cured to form absorbent polymer films .…”

CO2 Recycling: A Key Strategy to Introduce Green Energy in the Chemical Production Chain

“…Differently, biomass will play a relevant role in reducing the use of fossil fuels when used to produce raw materials for large-scale production of chemicals. [8] Examples are the production of (i) ethylene from bioethanol, [9] (ii) acrylic acid from glycerol, [10] and (iii) 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) from C 6 sugars. [11] Although various issues in using bio-based raw materials still exist, ranging from uncertainty in price and constant supply to the limited cases of drop-in chemicals in addition to the general high cost of production, [12] estimations point out that they will significantly contribute to meet future targets of carbon footprint.…”