Properties and catalytic performance of sulphate-vanadia impregnated fumed silica as oxidative catalyst

Abstract

A series of sulphate-vanadia impregnated fumed silica oxidative catalysts were synthesized via impregnation method. The samples were prepared by impregnation of 1 wt% of vanadium and 0.2 M of sulphuric acid onto fumed silica as support. Surface area of the silica supported samples were similar of 118 m²/g. UV-Vis DRS results showed existence of o supported V species and the charge transfer bands associated with O^2- to V⁵⁺ in tetrahedral environments. Catalytic performance were evaluated via epoxidation of 1-octene to 1,2-epoxyoctane using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. It had been demonstrated that sulphate-vanadia impregnated fumed silica had high catalytic activity of 626 ± 0.2 mmol epoxide was produced after 24 h reaction. This may indicate that more oxidative sites were generated after the impregnation of V and sulphate onto the SiO₂ matrixes.