One-pot synthesis of Ag@silicalite-1 using different silver amine complexes and their performance for styrene oxidation

A facile one-pot strategy was used to successfully synthesize Ag@silicalite-1 using different silver amine complex mixtures as precursors via a hydrothermal synthesis method. Ag@silicalite-1 was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and N-2 adsorption-desorption. When ethylenediamine was used as a ligand, Ag nanoparticles of Ag@silicalite-1 had a narrower size distribution and smaller size. The above catalyst also showed higher activity in the styrene oxidation reaction, which was performed by changing the catalysts, reaction temperatures, reaction times, and oxidants. When the reaction temperature was 363 K and H2O2 was used as the oxidant, the conversion of styrene reached approximately 88% and the selectivity of benzaldehyde was 57.2% for a 16 hour reaction.

Automated summary

A facile one-pot synthesis method was used to prepare Ag@silicalite-1 catalyst with different silver amine complex mixtures as precursors. The catalyst was characterized using various techniques and showed higher activity in styrene oxidation reaction. The use of ethylenediamine led to Ag nanoparticles with a narrower size distribution and smaller size in the catalyst.