A new strategy to generate strong basic sites on neutral salt KNO3 modified NaY

A new strategy was introduced to decompose KNO3 and generate strong basic sites at the temperature as low as 723 K and the base strength (H-) of 15.0-18.4 was measured on KNO3NaY composites. The basic sites produced were further characterized by FTIR, CO2-TPD and titration of basicity. The redox interaction between loaded KNO3 and methanol was proved to be accounted for the generation of basic sites on KNO3/NaY composites and the interaction pathway was proposed by evacuated FTIR and TG/MS. In comparison with the conventional thermal approach, the redox process could also suppress the release of NOx from KNO3 decomposition according to the results of the colorimetric method and TG/MS. In addition, solid bases KNO3/NaY were firstly employed to catalyze the vapor phase methylation of cyclopentadiene (CPD). The basic sites generated through the interaction between KNO3 and methanol were catalytically active for CPD methylation. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.