Selective oxidation of propane to acrolein over MoPO/SiO2 catalyst

Abstract

The selective oxidation of propane to acrolein over the MoPO/SiO2 catalyst has been studied. MoO/SiO2 exhibits only activity for the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propene. The propane conversion and acrolein selectivity are evidently increased by the addition of P to MoO/SiO2. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, H-2-TPR, NH3-TPD and FT-IR spectroscopy. The XRD and Raman results show that crystalline MoO3 is dominant on the silica-supported molybdenum oxide catalyst, while polymolybdate species are present on P-doped catalysts. Compared to the P-O-P stretching vibration at 905 cm(-1) in PO/SiO2, the P-doped sample exhibits the Raman band of the asymmetric PO4 stretching mode at 1085 cm(-1). Therefore, Mo-O-P bonds are likely to be formed on the P-doped catalyst, and the active sites are isolated by the phosphorus in MOPO/SiO2, preventing the growth of crystallized MoO3. These changes in structure and thus the improvement in reducibility of the MoPO/SiO2 catalyst may be responsible for the increase in propane conversion and acrolein selectivity. Furthermore, the results of FT-IR spectroscopy of pyridine adsorption and NH3-TPD show that both Bronsted and Lewis acid sites on the surface of the P-doped sample are stronger than those on MoO/SiO2. These suggest that the addition of phosphorus modifies the surface structure and enhances the surface acidity of the supported catalyst, thus improving the behavior of the catalyst.