Effect of Ag-doping of nanosized FeAlO system on its structural, surface and catalytic properties

The effects of Ag2O-doping on the physicochemical, surface and catalytic properties of FeAlO system with various extents of Fe2O3 loading have been investigated. The dopant concentration was changed between 1.5 and 4.0 mol % Ag2O. Pure and variously doped solids were subjected to heat treatment at 400-800 degrees C. The techniques employed for characterization of catalysts were TG/DTG, XRD, N-2-adsorption at -196 degrees C and the catalytic decomposition of H2O2 at 25-40 degrees C. The results obtained revealed that, the investigated catalysts consisted of nanosized gamma-Al2O3 phase. The textural properties including S-BET, porosity and S-t were modified by Ag2O-doping. The doping process with Ag-species improves the catalytic activity of FeAlO system. Increasing the precalcination temperature from 400 to 800 degrees C increases the catalytic activity of 3.5% AgFeAlO with 1.9-fold toward H2O2 decomposition at 30 degrees C. Furthermore, the maximum increase in the catalytic activity due to doping with 3.5 mol % Ag2O at 30 degrees C attained about 15.1-fold for the solids calcined at 800 degrees C. (C) 2012 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.