Controlling the porosity and crystallinity of MgO catalysts by addition of surfactant in the sol-gel synthesis

This study presents an easy route to induce pore formation, increase the specific surface area and control the crystallite size of magnesium oxides obtained using the sol-gel method with addition of Pluronic P123 surfactant. The structural characteristics of the materials were evaluated using X-ray...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Possato, Luiz G. [UNESP], Pereira, Elen [UNESP], Gonçalves, Rosembergue G.L. [UNESP], Pulcinelli, Sandra H. [UNESP], Martins, Leandro [UNESP], Santilli, Celso V. [UNESP]
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2018
Country:Brasil
Institution:Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP)
Repository:Repositório Institucional da UNESP
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.unesp.br:11449/189906
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2018.10.027
http://hdl.handle.net/11449/189906
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Basic catalysts
Knoevenagel condensation
Porous materials
Porous MgO
Sol-gel
Description
Summary:This study presents an easy route to induce pore formation, increase the specific surface area and control the crystallite size of magnesium oxides obtained using the sol-gel method with addition of Pluronic P123 surfactant. The structural characteristics of the materials were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, N2 physisorption isotherms, mercury intrusion porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy and CO2 temperature programmed desorption. The catalytic properties were assessed using the Knoevenagel condensation reaction. The results showed a systematic decrease of the magnesium oxide crystallinity with increased concentration of the surfactant used in the synthesis. This was associated with increase of the magnesium oxide BET area from 2 m2/g to over 50 m2/g, as well as the formation of pores in the macropore region, as confirmed by microscopy images. In addition, the surface modification resulted in CO2 chemisorption increasing from 378 μmol/g, for the pristine MgO sample, to 1529 μmol/g, for the porous sample, accompanied by an increase in the concentration of strong basic sites. The most porous sample presented the highest catalytic activity in the Knoevenagel condensation reaction.