Hydrophobic and hierarchical modification of TS-1 and application for propylene epoxidation

Abstract

Hierarchical and hydrophobic TS-1 was obtained by the desilication and silanization of TS-1. The modified TS-1 was characterized by adsorption–desorption isotherms analysis, transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and contact angle measurement. It demonstrates that modified TS-1 has hierarchical channel structures consisting of micropores and mesopores. The average pore diameters of the micropores and mesopores are 0.55 and 5–10 nm, respectively. The contact angle measurements indicate that modified TS-1 is hydrophobic. The effects of the desilication and silanization of TS-1 on the catalyst structure and catalytic properties of propylene epoxidation were investigated. Modified TS-1 showed better catalytic activity and catalytic life than the TS-1 without modification. The H2O2 conversion, PO selectivity and PO concentration reached 99.72%, 91.33% and 0.85 mol L−1, respectively.