Comprehensive Analysis of Zirconium Dioxide Catalyzed Bioethanol Conversion to Light Olefins: From Thermodynamics to Kinetics In the pursuit of sustainable chemical production, the catalytic conversion of bioethanol—a renewable feedstock—into light olefins like ethylene and propylene has gained significant traction. Light olefins are key building blocks for plastics, textiles, and other industrial materials. Among the various catalysts explored, zirconium dioxide (ZrO₂) has emerged as a highly promising material due to its unique properties that balance acidity, thermal stability, and oxygen mobility. Let’s explore how a detailed understanding of thermodynamics and kinetics shapes the efficiency of this catalytic process. Thermodynamic Insights At the heart of bioethanol conversion lies a complex network of reactions: ethanol dehydration to ethylene, ethanol dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde, and subsequent transformations into other hydrocarbons. Thermodynamically, ethanol dehy...