Cu Substitution on LaCu _x Ni_1-x O₃ Perovskite Structure and Catalytic Activity for Glycerol Conversion Using Various...

Cu was foreseen by our group as a high potential promoter in the LaNiO₃ perovskite catalyst for producing biobased chemicals from glycerol transformation, especially when inserted into the structure. Thus, LaCu _x Ni_1-x O₃ perovskites were specifically synthesized and characterized to acquire geared structures and compositions for such a purpose. Subsequently, the materials were tested as catalysts under an alkaline-free and external H₂-free environment, known to be a sustainably friendly condition that usually gives a low yield of desired products. Moreover, not only was pure glycerol employed as the raw material, the activity was also tested using a real glycerol crude from a biodiesel-producing company in Thailand. As a result, the newly synthesized perovskite catalysts can incredibly perform well even when the real crude glycerol was employed as the feed without alkaline or H₂ addition. Such successes would make the direct utilization of industrial glycerol crudes, without prior purification, possible.