Abstract
Gold nanoparticles supported on γ-alumina and magnesia-doped γ-alumina were synthesized by co-precipitation via a modified sol-gel method. The syntheses were found to produce catalysts with controllable acidity; the presence of either gold or magnesia produced catalyst possessing unbalanced density of acidic and basic sites, while the addition of both gold and magnesia produced catalyst possessing balanced density of relatively stronger acidic and basic sites. The variation of the acid-base strengths of the synthesized catalysts was assessed by using NH 3-TPD, CO 2-TPD, and infrared analysis of adsorbed CO 2 and correlated to their catalytic activity in 2-propanol decomposition probe reaction. Catalysts containing magnesia and gold were found to exhibit base catalytic properties through their greater selectivity for acetone formation, while plane γ-alumina and γ-alumina doped with magnesia or gold exhibited acid catalytic properties through their selectivity for propene formation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 512-520 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical |
| Volume | 363-364 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 2012 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors would like to acknowledge KFUPM and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) for the support provided through the Science and Technology Unit at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) for funding the work through project No. 08-PET88-4 as part of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Plan.
Keywords
- 2-Propanol
- Acid-base
- Alumina
- Gold nanoparticles
- Magnesia
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Catalysis
- Process Chemistry and Technology
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry