ELECTROCATALYTIC OXIDATION OF GLYCEROL TO GLYCOLATE ON CARBON NANOTUBE SUPPORTED AU NANOPARTICLES

摘要

Glycolic acid has been widely used in textile dyeing, leather tanning, personal care products, and preparation of polyglycolic acid (PGA), drug delivery materials and gas barrier packaging materials. [1-3] However, it has mainly been produced through stoichiometric oxidation which involves toxic chemicals in the processes. [4] There is an urgent need to develop more efficient and green processes to produce glycolic acid. Recently, glycerol attracts immense research interests as an inexpensive biorenewable chemical feedstock (US$0.3 kg~(-1), crude glycerol) for production of valuable chemicals, including glycolic acid. It has been reported that on Au nanoparticle catalysts using H2O2 oxidant (instead of O2), glycolate could be obtained with a selectivity of 56%. [5]