Coupling effect of bifunctional ZnCe@SBA-15 catalyst in 1,3-butadiene production from bioethanol

A series of bifunctional [email protected] catalysts with different Zn/Ce ratios were prepared by a solid-state grinding strategy and used in the conversion of ethanol to 1,3-butadiene (ETB). For the supported metal oxides, ZnO serves as the active sites for the dehydrogenation of ethanol, and CeO2 promotes the aldol-condensation reaction. Based on the results of Py-FTIR and NH3-TPD, it suggests that the yield of 1,3-butadiene is positively correlated with the number of weak Lewis acid sites on the catalyst surface, given their benefit for aldol-condensation reactions. The catalyst with an optimal Zn/Ce ratio of about 1:5 has the highest concentration of weak Lewis acid. Coupling with the ZnO sites, it contributes to a 98.4% conversion of ethanol and a 45.2% selective of 1,3-butadiene under relatively mild reaction conditions (375 °C, 101.325 kPa, and 0.54 h−1).