Selective oxidation of glycerol over carbon nanofibers supported Pt catalysts in a base-free aqueous solution

•Selective oxidation of glycerol performed easily on S-CNFs supported Pt NPs.•Average Pt NPs reach 1.8 nm on the surface of S-CNFs.•The initial TOF of surface Pt atoms on Pt/S-CNFs reached 750.7 h− 1 at 60 °C.•GLYA selectivity over CNFs supported Pt is higher than 80%.

Highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles were fabricated on the surface of S-grafted carbon nanofibers (Pt/S-CNFs) and used in selective oxidation of glycerol with molecular oxygen in a base-free aqueous solution. Characterizations disclosed that S-grafted CNFs are more favorable for the dispersion of Pt than that of crude CNFs and HNO3-pretreated CNFs. CNFs supported Pt catalysts are more selective toward the formation of glycerin acid, and the initial activity of surface Pt atoms in Pt/S-CNFs reached 750.7 h− 1 at 60 °C in a base-free aqueous solution.

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