Polymer-Based Spherical Activated Carbons in Combination with TS-1 as Efficient Epoxidation Catalysts

The heterogeneously catalyzed epoxidation of commercially available biodiesel with aqueous H2O2 as an oxidant was studied over composite catalysts consisting of microporous titanium silicalite‐1 (TS‐1) as reactive and polymer‐based spherical activated carbon (PBSAC) as sorptive component. The results are compared to that of a commercial TS‐1 catalyst. The polymer‐based spherical activated carbon was applied either as a support or as an exotemplate. In the composite catalyst, the active titanium sites are utilized four times more efficiently than in the commercial TS‐1. The heterogeneously catalyzed epoxidation of biodiesel with H2O2 over a composite material combining the catalytically active titanium silicalite‐1 (TS‐1) with the sorptive functionality of a polymer‐based spherical activated carbon is studied. The catalytic activity of the composite is nearly four times higher than that of an industrial TS‐1 reference catalyst.