Materials World Network: Catalyst Materials Synthesis at Accessible High Temperatures and Pressures

利哈伊大学和卡迪夫大学(英国)之间的这一合作项目旨在为生产一些重要的氧化物催化剂材料开发替代的、更高效和更环保的制备策略。混合氧化物多相催化剂的制备方法几十年来一直没有改变，主要有沉淀法、熔融法和浸渍法。然而，有一套广泛的反应条件(即在200摄氏度高温下)和压力(50bar)仍然相对未被探索。本项目的目的是研究使用可获得的高温和压力来控制一步氧化物结晶，使用(I)利用临界点以下的三相(气/液/固)体系和临界点以上的两相体系的高压釜；以及(Ii)高压-高温管式流动反应器。首先，研究人员将研究这套制备钒磷氧化物(VPO)的反应条件。VPO体系是研究最广泛的多相氧化物催化剂之一，VPO材料被用于正丁烷选择氧化制顺丁烯二酸酐的工业应用。对VPO材料的概念验证研究已经证明，在这种高温、高压反应过程中，可以产生不寻常的相和形貌，在某些情况下，这些相和形貌具有高度的催化活性。这一新的制备方法将在以后扩展到合成Nb和MoPO4。该研究计划将结合两个小组的专业知识，这两个小组在共同开展合作研究方面有着长期和非常成功的记录。由卡迪夫大学哈钦斯教授领导的英国研究小组将带头研究新的催化剂制备方法，并将评估作为烷烃氧化和氧化氢化反应催化剂的新材料。在Kiely教授的指导下，美国团队将使用尖端的电子显微镜和光谱技术对所生产的催化剂进行详细的结构表征，目的是建立结构与功能之间的关系。该项目将在跨学科和国际研究方面教育年轻人。来自两国的学生将在更长的时间内访问大西洋彼岸的合作机构，从而促进对另一个国家的文化细微差别和研究环境的了解。

This collaborative program between Lehigh University and the University of Cardiff (UK) is directed towards developing alternative, more efficient and greener, preparation strategies for the production of some important oxide based catalyst materials. The major methodologies of mixed oxide heterogeneous catalyst preparation, which have remained unchanged for decades, are precipitation, fusion and impregnation. There are however, an extensive set of reaction conditions (i.e. at elevated temperature 200oC) and pressure (50 bar) that have remained relatively unexplored. The aim of this project is to investigate the use of accessible high temperatures and pressures for controlled one-step oxide crystallization using (i) an autoclave utilizing three phase (gas/liquid/solid) systems below the critical point and two phase systems above the critical point; and (ii) a high pressure - high temperature tubular flow reactor. In the first instance, the researchers will investigate this set of reaction conditions for the preparation of vanadium phosphorus oxides (VPO). The VPO system represents one of the most extensively studied heterogeneous oxide catalysts and VPO materials are utilized commercially for the selective oxidation of n-butane to maleic anhydride. Proof-of-concept studies on VPO materials have already demonstrated that unusual phases and morphologies, which in some cases are highly catalytically active, can be generated in this high temperature, high pressure reaction regime. This new preparation methodology will be later extended to synthesize niobium and molybdenum phosphates. The research program will combine the expertise of two groups that have a long and very successful record of performing collaborative research together. The UK group, led by Professor Hutchings at Cardiff University, will spearhead research into the new catalyst preparation methodologies and will evaluate the new materials produced as catalysts for alkane oxidation and oxidative hydrogenation reactions. The US group, under the direction of Professor Kiely, using cutting edge electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques will perform detailed structural characterization of the catalysts produced, with the aim of establishing structure-function relationships. This project will educate young people in interdisciplinary and international research. Students from both countries will visit the partner institutions across the Atlantic for extended periods thus fostering an understanding of cultural nuances and research environments in another country.