Bimetallic gold-silver catalysts based on ZnO and Zn/SBA-15 – The effect of various treatments on surface and catalytic properties

Abstract

Two different supports containing zinc (ZnO and Zn/SBA-15) were used to prepare mono- and bimetallic gold, silver and gold-silver catalysts. Zinc was used for two different purposes in these materials: (i) as a support in the form of zinc oxide and (ii) as a dopant introduced to short-channel SBA-15 by wetness impregnation. Short channel SBA-15 was used as the reference support. The materials obtained were characterized by: N2 physisorption, XRD, TEM, UV–vis, XPS, XAS and their activity was tested in the reactions of propene and methanol oxidation in the gas phase. The state of metals (Au, Ag, Zn) and the composition of gold-silver alloy formed on the catalysts surface were considered in terms of thermal activation of catalysts in inert gas and in hydrogen flow as well as interaction with reagents and products of methanol and propene oxidation. It was found that silver species were responsible for the activity in propene oxidation and its total combustion to CO2, whereas (Au0)δ− metallic particles were active in methanol oxidation. Selectivity to acrolein in propene oxidation was achieved thanks to the presence of Au-Ag alloy whose composition depended on the presence of zinc oxide and activation conditions. The alloy was not stable and separated into metals upon propene oxidation conditions. In methanol oxidation, zinc species took part in selective oxidation to methyl formate.