A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Acid sites modulation of siliceous-based mesoporous material by post synthesis methods
Authors: Pizzolitto Cristina, Ghedini Elena, Taghavi Somayeh, Menegazzo Federica, Cruciani Giuseppe, Peurla Markus, Eränen Kari, Heinmaa Ivo, Aho Atte, Kumar Narendra, Murzin Dmitry Yu, Salmi Tapio, Signoretto Michela
Publisher: ELSEVIER
Publication year: 2021
Journal: Microporous and Mesoporous Materials
Journal name in source: MICROPOROUS AND MESOPOROUS MATERIALS
Journal acronym: MICROPOR MESOPOR MAT
Article number: ARTN 111459
Volume: 328
Number of pages: 11
ISSN: 1387-1811
eISSN: 1873-3093
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micromeso.2021.111459
The present work is focused on the improvement of an effective approach to tailor the acidity of silica alumina composite. SBA-15 was selected based on high surface area, uniform porosity and large mesopores. Modification of SBA-15 was performed to improve both Lewis and Bronsted acidities and hence catalyst activity. Therefore, introduction of alumina as a co-catalyst was carried out to enhance Lewis acid sites through its incorporation into the silica network. Evaporation impregnation method was evaluated for incorporation of aluminium to SBA-15 and materials with different SiO2/Al2O3 ratios were prepared. Acidity and morphological features of the materials were assessed using XRD, EDX, SEM, TEM, N2-physisorption, 27Al MAS-NMR and FTIR with pyridine. Bronsted acidity was attained by the introduction of sulfonic acid groups in the final catalyst via the postsynthesis grafting method. Therefore, the balanced Lewis and Br phi nsted acidities and proper porosity of modified SBA-15 led to its efficient performance in the conversion of glucose as a biomass-based model component to levulinic acid.