Direct synthesis and characterization of titanium-substituted mesoporous molecular sieve SBA-15

Ti-substituted mesoporous SBA-15 (Ti-SBA-15) materials have been synthesized by using a new approach in which the hydrolysis of the silicon precursor (tetramethoxysilane, TMOS) is accelerated by fluoride. These materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (Y-RF), N-2 sorption isotherms, diffuse-reflectance UV-visible (UV-vis) and UV-Raman spectroscopy, Si-29 MAS NMR, and the catalytic epoxidation reaction of styrene. Experiments show that Ti-SBA-15 samples of high quality can be obtained under the following conditions: F/Si greater than or equal to 0.03 (molar ratio), pH less than or equal to 1.0, aging temperature less than or equal to 80 degreesC, and Ti/Si less than or equal to 0.01. It was found that the hydrolysis rate of TMOS was remarkably accelerated by fluoride, which was suggested to play the main role in the formation of Ti-SBA-15 materials of high quality. There is no stoichiometric incorporation of Ti, and the Ti contents that are obtained are quite low in the case of the approach that is proposed. The calcined Ti-SBA-15 materials show highly catalytic activity in the epoxidation of styrene.

Post-grafting preparation of large-pore mesoporous materials with localized high content titanium doping

A new post-grafting process, consisting of two steps of substrate preparation and sol - gel post-grafting, has been developed to prepare titanium-doped mesoporous SBA-15 material with a double-layered structure and locally concentrated titanium content at the inner pore surface. With this novel technique, the single phased and originally ordered mesostructures can be well conserved; in the conventional direct synthesis they can be partially damaged when the frameworks are doped with high content heteroatoms. Titanium species exist in an isolated, tetrahedral structure and are localized at the pore surface; this is beneficial to both reactant access and product release. Characterization with XRD, N-2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, HREM/ EDS, ICP, UV - Vis, and the newly developed UV - Raman spectroscopy confirm these results. Preliminary catalytic tests with the selective epoxidation of cyclohexene show good catalytic activity. Among them, sample TiSBA-15-10 with a Si : Ti molar ratio of 10 shows a TON value of 75 and a highest product ( epoxide) yield of 55%.