Catalysts for the production of plasticizers derived from biomass

Abstract

The use of biomass as a raw material for the synthesis of various materials is an activity that continues to grow and has allowed the development of new processes and products, such as the synthesis of bioplastifiers based on organic acids such as succinic acid, and carbonaceous materials from sugars, natural polymers such as cellulose, starch, among others. Here we have developed a series of catalysts, including one based on starch with acidic properties, a noncrystalline mesoporous material such as SBA-15 with ZrO2 incorporated and sulfated, and carbons impregnated with dodecatungstophosphoric acid. These were tested in the esterification reaction of succinic acid with ethanol, using the Amberlyst 36 acid resin as a reference catalyst to compare the catalysts and study the influence of the reaction parameters.