Influence of Adding Molybdenum on Structure and Performance of FexOy/SBA-15 Catalysts in Selective Oxidation of Propene

Mixed iron and molybdenum oxide catalysts supported on nanostructured silica, SBA-15, were synthesized with various Mo/Fe atomic ratios ranging from 0.07/1.0 to 0.57/1.0. Structural characterization of as-prepared Mo_xO_y_Fe_xO_y/SBA-15 samples was performed by nitrogen physisorption, X-ray diffraction, and DR-UV-Vis spectroscopy. Adding molybdenum resulted in a pronounced dispersion effect on supported iron oxidic species. Increasing atomic ratio up to 0.21Mo/1.0Fe was accompanied by decreasing species sizes. Strong interactions between iron and molybdenum during the synthesis resulted in the formation of Fe?O?Mo structure units, possibly Fe₂(MoO₄)₃-like species. Reducibility of Mo_xO_y_Fe_xO_y/SBA-15 catalysts was investigated by temperature-programmed reduction experiments with hydrogen as reducing agent. The lower reducibility obtained when adding molybdenum was ascribed to both dispersion and electronic effect of molybdenum. Catalytic performance of Mo_xO_y_Fe_xO_y/SBA-15 samples was studied in selective gas-phase oxidation of propene with O₂ as oxidant. Adding molybdenum resulted in an increased acrolein selectivity and a decreased selectivity towards total oxidation products.