Engineering more sustainable catalysts based in ecological and economic synthesis routes from renewable raw material: Novel mesoporous silicas for remediation technologies

• Published in: Microporous and mesoporous materials Vol. 360; p. 112719
• Main Authors: Vaschetto, Eliana G., Ochoa Rodríguez, Pablo A., Pérez Pariente, Joaquín, Eimer, Griselda A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.10.2023
• Subjects: Glyphosate degradation; Mesoporous silicas; Renewable porogens; Renewable porogens; Mesoporous silicas; Glyphosate degradation
• ISSN: 1387-1811; 1873-3093
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micromeso.2023.112719

Iron modified mesoporous silica structures were achieved from biomass-derived renewable molding agents (glyceryl monostearate and glycerol) and can become potential substitutes for conventional mesoporous catalysts synthesized from petrochemical-derived precursors. These materials were prepared by different methods (wet impregnation with iron contents of 2.5, 5, 10 and 20% w/w and direct incorporation using a molar ratio Si/Fe = 20) and characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption and desorption isotherms, UVvis-DR and ICP. By using these solid as heterogeneous catalysts in the wet oxidation reaction of the herbicide glyphosate with air under extremely mild reaction conditions (atmospheric pressure and room temperature), herbicide degradation/fragmentation levels of around 70% were achieved. The methodology employed for the synthesis played a key role in the development of the structure and dispersion of Fe species as well as in the stability of the catalytic system. In this way, an advanced technology with low environmental impact for the treatment of a pollutant of great concern at the global level was developed, which adds sustainability to the chemical industry from the use of residual glycerol and/or glyceryl monostearate in the catalyst synthesis. [Display omitted] •Mesoporous silica structures from biomass-derived renewable molding were synthesized.•The mesoporous structure achieved was corroborated by XRD and physisorption of N2.•The solids were prepared by wet impregnation with and direct incorporation with Fe.•Herbicide degradation/fragmentation levels of around 70% were achieved.•The reaction was carried by catalytic wet air oxidation at atmospheric P and room T.