Catalytic oxidative dehydration of glycerol over a catalyst with iron oxide domains embedded in an iron orthovanadate phase.

An embedded catalyst for the oxidative dehydration of glycerol, featuring iron oxide (FeO(x)) domains on the surface of an iron orthovanadate (FeVO₄) phase, is developed. Catalytic reactions are conducted in a fixed-bed reactor at 300 °C with a feed composition N₂/O₂/H₂O/glycerol=66.6:1.7:30.3:1.5. Catalytic results show that the catalyst exhibits a better performance than an FeO(x) catalyst prepared by impregnation and than a mixture of FeVO₄ and Fe₂O₃The best yield for acrylic acid was 14 %. The presence of FeO(x) domains on the surface of FeVO₄ catalyzes the oxidation of acrolein to acrylic acid. The catalysts are characterized by a range of techniques. The interaction between the nanometer-sized FeO(x) domains and the FeVO₄ phase is strong enough to stabilize the FeO(x) and retain its high activity. The proximity of the two phases provides an environment for the dehydration of glycerol and the oxidation of acrolein to acrylic acid.