Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis of Composite Materials Based on Tungsten Carbides: Effect of Phase Composition on the Yield of Ethylene and Propylene Glycols in the One-Pot Hydrolysis–Hydrogenolysis of Cellulose

It is shown that the reaction of the hydrolysis–hydrogenolysis of cellulose to alcohols can be catalyzed by the binary system Ca(OH)2–composite material based on tungsten carbides W2C/WC, obtained by combining mechanochemical activation and self-propagating high-temperature synthesis with an exothermic mixture of tungsten oxide, metallic magnesium, and technical carbon. It is demonstrated that the amounts of tungsten carbides (W2C, WC) and the ratio between them can be controlled by introducing inert additives (metallic tungsten or calcium carbonate) to the exothermic mixture. The order of introducing reagents to the exothermic mixture and their activation is found to affect the textural properties of the materials. Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis is shown to be superior to mechanochemical activation. The catalytic properties of these materials are studied in the hydrolysis–hydrogenolysis of cellulose. It is determined that the phase composition of the composite materials affects the yields of ethylene glycol and 1,2-polyethylene glycol and their ratio. The maximum total yield of the glycols (25–31%) is obtained using a sample with a high W2C content.