Abstract
Iron oxide nanoparticles supported on zirconia were prepared by precipitation-deposition method and characterized by XRD, SEM, FT-IR, TGA/DTA, surface area and particle size analysis. Catalytic activities of the catalysts were tested in the gas-phase conversion of cyclohexanol in a fixed-bed flow type, Pyrex glass reactor, at 433 - 463 K. Major detected products were cyclohexanone, cyclohexene and benzene, depending on the used catalyst. The rate of reaction was significantly raised by the introduction of molecular oxygen in the feed gas, thereby suggesting the oxidation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of iron oxide nanoparticles supported on zirconia treated with hydrogen at 553 K for 2 hours, was more selective and better than the unreduced iron oxide nanoparticles supported on zirconia, in the gas-phase oxidation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone. Experimental results showed that there was no leaching of metal, and that the catalyst was thus truly heterogeneous.
Highlights
Since the early 1900’s, iron-based dispersed catalysts have been used for the liquification of coals
100 mg of iron oxide nanoparticles supported on monoclinic ZrO2 catalysts were used for the gas phase oxidation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone in a fixed-bed flow type Pyrex glass reactor at 433 - 463 K in a tubular furnace attached to temperature controller
The catalytic activity of hematite and magnetite nanoparticles supported on monoclinic zirconia was investigated for the gas-phase reaction of cyclohexanol
Summary
Since the early 1900’s, iron-based dispersed catalysts have been used for the liquification of coals. Several attempts have been made to prepare iron oxides and explore their catalytic activities in petrochemical industries [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. Researchers have diverted attention towards nano-materials and their applications in the field of catalysis. In this scenario, iron oxide nanoparticle is a potent candidate to be investigated as a catalyst in various industrially important reactions, including the synthesis of NH3, water shift reaction, desulfurization of natural gas, dehydrogenation of ethyl benzene, oxidation of alcohol, and manufacture of butadiene [13,14,15,16,17,18]. The prepared catalysts were characterized by various techniques, and tested for catalytic activities in the gas phase conversion of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone, cyclohexene and benzene, keeping in view the fact that hematite and magnetite are semiconductors and can catalyze oxidation/reduction reactions [4]
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