Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, Vol.162, 300-309, 2015
Hierarchically nanostructured porous group V-b metal oxides from alkoxide precursors and their role in the catalytic remediation of VOCs
This study reveals how the textural properties of hierarchically porous group V-b metal oxides, prepared via a spontaneous auto-formation process, can strongly depend upon the pH of the reaction media, with an acidic media increasing the specific surface of Nb2O5 whereas a basic medium results in the highest specific surface for Ta2O5. Catalytic oxidation of toluene over Pd loaded hierarchically porous group V-b systems, and the supports alone, has shown that supports synthesised at pH 6 are the most active, despite having lower specific surfaces, thus implying modifications to the surface chemistry in the presence of H+ or OH- can affect the overall performance of the supported catalytic system. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Hierarchical porosity;Group V-b metal oxides;Alkoxide chemistry;Heterogeneous catalysis;Volatile organic compounds