Abstract
A new solid acid catalyst consisting of ZrO2 supported on CaO, ZrO2/CaO was prepared by deposition of Zr alkoxide on CaO and calcination at high temperatures. A catalyst prepared by the double deposition method, ZrO2/ZrO2/CaO, was also tested. The characteristics of the catalysts were investigated for transesterification and ethanol decomposition. The transesterification activity of the ZrO2/CaO catalyst was comparable with that of proton-type zeolites. The ethanol conversion activity was similar to that of SiO2–Al2O3. Diethyl ether was not formed on the ZrO2/CaO catalyst, which showed very high selectivity for ethylene formation. The ZrO2/ZrO2/CaO catalyst showed activity for ethanol conversion even though calcined at 1373 K.
