Correlation between macro/mesoporous structure, surface properties and catalytic activity for sulfated zirconia foams

• Grant number: 12/10215-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Sandra Helena Pulcinelli
• Grantee: Marinalva Aparecida Alves Rosa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 07/53073-4 - Mesoporous ceramics and multifunctional organic-inorganic hybrids prepared by sol-gel process, AP.TEM

Abstract

Heterogeneous catalysis show several advantages in industrial processes due to the facility of catalyst application and of separation and regeneration after the reactions of interest. Acid catalysts as sulfated zirconia are extremely important in reactions like dehydration, isomerization, esterification, acylation, alkylation among others. The necessary characteristics to use the sulfated zirconia in given reactions are related to processes of zirconia sulfatation and formation of acid sites and of structural properties of the solid phase, as crystalline phase and porous properties. The pores in the material increase the specific surface area and favor the diffusion of substances inside the reaction middle. In this project the well established process of preparation of zirconia sulfated colloidal suspensions, which will be applied as precursor for the solid phase, will be used. The pores will be created by liquid foams templates with surfactants for stabilization of the air-liquid interface. The macropores (d>50nm) should be generated by air bubbles while the mesopores (2nm

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ALVES-ROSA, MARINALVA A.; MARTINS, LEANDRO; HAMMER, PETER; PULCINELLI, SANDRA H.; SANTILLI, CELSO V.. Structure and catalytic properties of sulfated zirconia foams. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology, v. 72, n. 2, SI, p. 252-259, NOV 2014. (07/53073-4, 12/10215-1, 10/01449-3)