Preparation of Sulfonated Carbons from Rice Husk and Their Application in Catalytic Conversion of Glycerol

Sulfonated carbons were prepared from carbonized rice husk and further treatment with sulfuric acid (TC-6M, sulfuric acid 6 mol L –1 under reflux, TC-L, concentrated 96% sulfuric acid under reflux, TC-V, vapor of concentrated 96% sulfuric acid). The catalytic activity of carbons was evaluated in esterification of glycerol with acetic acid (AA) and etherification of glycerol with tert-butyl alcohol (TBA). Only the TC-L carbon showed a significant amount of sulfur in its composition (2.2 mmol g –1 ). This catalyst also had the highest total acidity (5.8 mmol g –1 ) and improved the best catalytic performance in glycerol esterification and etherification. In the esterification reaction of glycerol, 90% conversion was observed after 5 h of reaction, with selectivities of 11%, 52%, and 37% to mono-, di-, and tri-glycerides, respectively. In the etherification of glycerol, after 4 h of reaction a conversion of 53% was achieved, with 25% selectivity to di- and tri-tert-butylglycerol. Thus, the use of sulfonated carbons in glycerol conversion proved to be an interesting alternative to add value to the production chains of rice and biodiesel by using their byproducts: rice husk and glycerol.