SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MESOZEOLITE H BEA CATALYSTS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN BIOMASS DERIVED LEVULINIC ACID ESTERIFICATION TO SYNTHESIZE n BUTYL LEVULINATE

Abstract

It is an undeniable fact that, the major quest for sustainable resources to meet the newlinedemands of a rapidly rising world population represents one of this century s grand challenges. newlineHeterogeneous catalysis has a rich history of facilitating energy efficient selective molecular transformations and contributes to 90% of chemical manufacturing processes and to more than 20% of all industrial products. In a post-petroleum era, catalysis will be central to overcoming the engineering and scientific barriers to economically feasible routes to alternative source of both energy and chemicals. In this thesis, the main focus is on zeolites post modification using different mesotemplates, their characterization and application in esterification reaction. newlineThe thesis entitled, Synthesis and characterization of mesozeolite H-BEA catalysts and their application in biomass derived levulinic acid esterification to synthesize n-butyl levulinate involves the synthesis and characterization of various modified solid acid catalysts and their applications in n-butyl levulinate production from levulinic acid. The thesis consist newlineof five chapters. Chapter-I covers comprehensive literature review on history of zeolites, their classification, applications. Moreover, this chapter also includes several post-synthetic methods which are used in the medication and synthesis of zeolites, literature survey on various modification routes of H-BEA zeolite and its several applications. Literature studies helped to select the suitable post synthetic routes for the catalyst modification and its application. Special emphasis is placed on H-BEA zeolites using cationic surfactants and natural template, rice husk and assess their catalytic activity in esterification reaction of levulinic acid with n-butanol to synthesize n-butyl levulinate. The subsequent chapters cover synthesis and characterization of various zeolite based solid acid catalysts using different structure directing agents and evaluate their activities through simple optimisation study as w