Highly Mesoporous Zeolitic Aluminosilicate Supported Tungsten Oxide-doped Titania Nanocomposite Material for Enhanced Cyclohexane Photo-Oxidation Under Visible Light
摘要
Cyclohexane oxidation is crucial in producing adipic acid and caprolactam, essential precursors for the manufacture of various polymers. However, homogeneous catalysts achieve the highest cyclohexane conversion, suggesting the need for further research. We present a facile synthesis of mesoporous tungsten oxide-doped titania (WO3-TiO2) supported on the Technische Universitat Delft-Crystalline (TUD-C) material for enhanced cyclohexane photo-oxidation under visible light. In this work, TUD-C mesoporous zeolite was applied as a catalytic support material for WO3-TiO2. Various molar percentages of WO3 (0–1 mol%) were doped into TiO2 to achieve the optimal ratio for maximum catalytic performance. FTIR, XRD, and XPS analyses indicated that Mordenite Framework Inverted (MFI) zeolitic frameworks formed within the TUD-C support materials. Additionally, the porosity study showed that the resulting TUD-C-supported materials were mesoporous and possessed high specific areas. Based on the DRUV-Vis spectra obtained, WO3 was loaded into TiO2 in all the TUD-C-supported WO3-TiO2 samples, resulting in improved photocatalytic efficiency due to increase in oxidative sites and reduced band gap. FESEM and TEM analysis results revealed uniform dispersion of WO3-TiO2 on TUD-C, without agglomeration or aggregation of the particles. The photocatalytic performance of WO3-doped TiO2 supported on TUD-C materials was evaluated for cyclohexane photo-oxidation under visible light for 4 h. Results demonstrated that TiO2 photocatalytic activity was enhanced 2-fold in the presence of WO3 dopant and TUD-C support. These findings strongly suggest that the promising catalysts supported on TUD-C materials can be synthesized via a simple, eco-friendly, and cost-effective approach, potentially enabling large-scale manufacturing of products that meet future clean energy needs.