새글 논문 해외 국제전문학술지(SCI급) (교신) Zeolite beta nanosponge with high acidity on mesopores for efficient tributyrin transesterification
- 학술지 구분 국제전문학술지(SCI급)
- 게재년월 2025-12
- 저자명 Juhyun Jeong, Kyungmin Cho, Shin Hyuk Kim, Doyeon Lee, Joo-Il Park, Daeyoung Bae, Kanghee Cho*, Jeong-Chul Kim*
- 학술지명 Fuel
- 발행처명 Elsevier
- 발행국가 해외
- 논문언어 외국어
- 전체저자수 8
- 원문 링크 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016236125016904
홈페이지논문 초록 (Abstract)
The demand for technologies that convert waste bio-oils and fats into hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA), used as biofuels for decarbonizing long-distance transport, has increased significantly. Here, we present a zeolite beta nanosponge synthesized using a structure-directing surfactant. This material features a highly mesoporous architecture formed by ultrathin (∼5 nm) zeolitic frameworks. We demonstrate its effectiveness in the catalytic pre-treatment of fat-derived molecules by using tributyrin transesterification. It is a key step prior to hydroprocessing into liquid hydrocarbons. The reaction was conducted in a batch reactor at 373 K using a 1:60 M ratio of tributyrin to methanol. Due to the bulky nature of tributyrin, catalysis primarily occurs at acid sites on external surfaces and mesopore walls, rather than within internal micropores. As a result, the zeolite beta nanosponge showed a 13.5-fold higher catalytic activity than commercial zeolite beta with limited mesoporosity. It also outperformed Al-MCM-41, a mesoporous material with fewer strong acid sites. Furthermore, the catalyst maintained its crystalline structure and acidity over five consecutive reaction cycles.