Synthesis and Characterization of Solid Acids

该奖项授予佛罗里达大学化学系的拉塞尔·S·德拉戈博士，以表彰他对测量和控制固体酸催化剂酸度的新方法的研究。该奖项由EPA/NSF环境研究伙伴关系中的可持续环境技术部分颁发，支持由无机化学、生物无机化学和有机金属化学计划和多学科活动办公室提供。固体酸催化剂可以替代强酸溶剂和试剂，减少许多工业过程中产生的有毒废物，如烷基化反应，这些过程需要硫酸或氢氟酸来促进反应。量热滴定和吸附等温线的结果将被用来确定固体上不同反应位置的平衡常数和热。当结合光谱和反应性数据时，将确定感兴趣的反应的反应阈值和最佳固体酸。将使用溶胶凝胶法来制备一系列固体酸，这些固体酸将不同的高氧化态元素加入到二氧化硅结构中。元素变化和合成变量的系统变化对酸度的影响将被确定，并与各种烷烃异构化固体酸催化剂的选择性相关联。我们将比较酸强度相近的无孔固体和微孔固体。石油工业使用氢氟酸和硫酸来引发许多反应，这些反应改变了分子碳链的排列或长度。固体酸可以取代这些水酸，在许多炼油领域提供廉价和可重复使用的替代品。在这项研究中，将开发一种系统的方法来评估固体酸在各种反应中的有效性。

This award is made to Dr. Russell S. Drago of the Chemistry Department, University of Florida, for investigation of a new method to measure and control the acidity of solid acid catalysts. The award is in the Technology for Sustainable Environment component of the EPA/NSF Partnership for Environmental Research, and support is provided by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities. Solid acid catalysts substituted for strong acid solvents and reagents can reduce toxic wastes associated with many industrial processes, such as alkylation, that require sulfuric acid or hydrofluoric acid to promote reaction. Results of calorimetric titrations and adsorption isotherms will be used to determine equilibrium constants and enthalpies for various reaction sites on the solids. When coupled with spectroscopic and reactivity data, reaction thresholds and optimum solid acidities will be determined for reactions of interest. Sol-gel methods will be used to prepare a series of solid acids that incorporate different high oxidation state elements into the silica structure. The effect of element changes and systematic changes in the synthesis variables on acidity will be determined and correlated with selectivity of various solid acid catalysts for isomerization of alkanes. Non-porous and microporous solids with similar acid strengths will be compared. The petroleum industry uses hydrofluoric and sulfuric acids to initiate many reactions that alter the arrangement or length of molecular carbon chains. Solid acids that can replace these aqueous acids provide inexpensive and reusable substitutes in many areas of refining. In this study, a systematic approach to assessing the effectiveness of solid acids in various reactions will be developed.