Effect of secondary additives on the properties of vanadium-aluminum mixed oxide tableted catalysts used in the oxidation of propane

The effect of adding secondary additives for tableting vanadium-aluminum mixed-oxides, VAlO, on key physico-chemical properties and on the catalytic performance in propane oxidation was investigated. Graphite was used as the primary shaping agent. The secondary additives were MgO, silica, BN, sepiolite, and ZnO. The hardness, fracture strength, and particle shape of the secondary additives were associated to the changes of the mechanical strength and porosity of the tablets. There was a compromise between mechanical strength and loss of mesoporosity and surface area. Meanwhile, the additives did not establish a chemical interaction with the VAlO material. Therefore, the secondary additives may act as co-catalysts during propane oxidation. BN and se-piolite were best for promoting both the reactivity of the catalytic formulations and the production of propene. This promotion may be due to the combination of a redox mechanism over the VAlO phase and to a surface rad-ical mechanism occurring over the active moieties of BN and sepiolite. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study investigated the effect of adding secondary additives on key physico-chemical properties and catalytic performance in propane oxidation of tableting vanadium-aluminum mixed-oxides, VAlO. The secondary additives influenced the mechanical strength and porosity of the tablets, with a trade-off between mechanical strength and loss of mesoporosity and surface area. BN and sepiolite were found to be the most effective in promoting reactivity and propene production during propane oxidation.