Abstract
Phosphotungstic acid (PTA) was immobilized onto the porous structures of three nanoporous activated carbons (NACs), including oxidized, thermally treated, and pristine NACs. The PTA-NAC catalysts with different oxygen-containing functional groups on the carbon surface were obtained. The prepared catalysts can catalyze the reaction of bioethanol dehydration; they stimulate the formation of diethyl ether and ethylene. These catalysts showed high diethyl ether yields of up to 65% and excellent selectivities of up to 93% at 130–160 °С. The conversion of bioethanol to ethylene increased with increasing reaction temperature, and the ethylene yield reached almost 100% with about 100% selectivity at 190–220 °С.