Selective oxidation of glycerol in a base-free aqueous solution over different sized Pt catalysts

A series of Pt/C catalysts with different Pt particle size ranged from 1.2 to 26.5 nm were prepared and used for the oxidation of glycerol in a base-free aqueous solution. The morphologies and the dispersion of Pt were characterized by CO adsorption, TEM and XRD. It was found that the dispersion of Pt depends strongly on the surface properties of the support, the amount of reducing agent and preparation temperature. Though bigger sized Pt particles (>10 nm) were less active, smaller sized ones (<6 nm) exhibited higher glycerol conversion, stable selectivity and good recycled activity.