The Effect of WO3 on the Selective Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol to 1,3-Propanediol over Pt/WO3–Al2O3 Catalysts

The selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,3-Propanediol (1,3-PDO) presents a sustainable approach, leveraging a bio-renewable feedstock and significantly enhancing the economic viability of biodiesel production. However, the limited selectivity toward 1,3-PDO in glycerol hydrogenolysis has hindered its widespread adoption on an industrial scale. In this work, we synthesized a series of Pt/WO3–Al2O3 catalysts using a simple wetness sequential impregnation method. Comprehensive characterization and kinetic studies revealed that the surface tungsten content of the catalyst exerted a critical and multifaceted influence on the catalytic performances. Under optimal conditions, glycerol could be selectively converted to 1,3-PDO with a yield of 43% in a fixed-bed continuous flow reactor. Furthermore, a plausible reaction mechanism for glycerol hydrogenolysis was proposed based on the correlations between catalyst structure and catalytic performance.