Structure and activity of Pd/V2O5/TiO2 catalysts in Wacker oxidation of ethylene

Abstract

The present study concerns preparation of Pd/V2O5/TiO2 catalysts and activity of the catalysts in selective gas phase oxidation of ethylene by O2 in presence of water at atmospheric pressure and in the temperature range of 100–200°C. The influence of palladium and vanadia loading and the partial pressures of the reactants on the yield of oxidation products (acetaldehyde and acetic acid) were examined. The surface-bound vanadia forms were identified by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and FT-Raman spectroscopy. The best activities were achieved with catalysts having near to nominal monolayer vanadia coverage of the support. Time-on-stream catalytic tests and chemical analysis of the fresh and used catalysts proved the structural and catalytic stability of the Pd/V2O5/TiO2 preparations. It was shown that under the conditions of Wacker-oxidation primary product acetaldehyde could be further oxidized to CO2, whereas no consecutive oxidation of product acetic acid proceeded.