Abstract
The effect of the morphology and size of unsupported molybdenum carbide (β-Mo2C) was investigated in the selective hydrogenation of levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone (GVL) in aqueous phase. Nanostructured β-Mo2C was synthetized by two different approaches: (i) using multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT) as both hard template and source of carbon and; (ii) using 1D nanostructured α-MoO3 as precursor. Depending on the type of synthesis used, the morphology of the resulting β-Mo2C was different. Well-oriented β-Mo2C nanoparticles with a fibril morphology were formed when CNTs were used as hard template and source of carbon at 700 °C for 6 h under inert environment, while well-defined β-Mo2C 1D nanostructures were formed after carburization of the nano-sized α-MoO3 precursor at 650 °C/2 h under 20 % (v/v) CH4/H2 atmosphere. The catalytic performance of the materials was investigated at 30 bar H2 and 180 °C in a batch reactor and compared with a Mo2C synthesized by temperature-programmed carburization of commercial MoO3. The β-Mo2C 1D nanostructures presented a relatively higher activity than the others probably as a result of more exposed active sites, confirmed by the higher CO chemisorption uptake. All of the catalysts were highly selective to GVL (>85 %). Deep hydrogenation products such as 1,4 pentanediol and methyltetrahydrofuran were observed in minor amounts, underlining the hydrogenation potential of molybdenum carbide based materials.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bozell JJ (2010) Green Chem 12:525
Fitzpatrick SW (1990) US Patent 4.897.497
Fitzpatrick SW (1997) US Patent 5.608.105
Alonso DM, Wettsteinb SG, Dumesic JA (2013) Green Chem 15:584
Wright WRH, Palkovits R (2012) ChemSusChem 5:1657
Corma A, Ibarra S, Velty A (2007) Chem Rev 107:2411
Besson M, Gallezot P, Pinel C (2014) Chem Rev 114:1827
Upare PP, Lee JM, Hwang DW, Halligudi SB, Hwang YK, Chang JS (2011) J Ind Eng Chem 17:287
Al-Shaal MG, Wright WRH, Palkovits R (2012) Green Chem 14:1260
Oyama ST (1996) The chemistry of transition metal carbides and nitrides. Blackie Academic & Professional, London
Ji N, Zhang T, Zheng MY, Wang AQ, Wang H, Wang XD, Chen JG (2008) Angew Chem Int Ed 47:8510
Sajkowski DJ, Oyama ST (1996) Appl Catal A 134:339
Devan RS, Patil RA, Lin JH, Ma YR (2012) Adv Funct Mater 22:3326
Chen WF, Wong CH, Sasaki K (2013) Energy Environ Sci 6:943
Liao L, Wang S, Xiao J, Bian X, Zhang Y, Scanlon MD, Hu X, Tang Y, Liu B, Girault HH (2014) Energy Environ Sci 7:387
Mai EF, Machado MA, Davies TE, Lopez-Sanchez JA, Teixeira da Silva V (2014) Green Chem 16(9):4092–4097
Gao Q, Zhang C, Xie S, Hua W, Zhang Y, Ren N, Xu H, Tang Y (2009) Chem Mater 21:5560
Ajayan PM, Stephan O, Redlich Ph, Colliex C (1995) Nature 375:564
Li Z, Chen C, Zhan E, Ta N, Lia Y, Shen W (2014) Chem Commun 50:4469
Patzke GR, Michailovski A, Krumeich F, Nesper R, Grunwaldt JD, Baiker A (2004) Chem Mater 16:1126
Teixeira da Silva V, Schmal M, Oyama ST (1996) J Solid State Chem 123(1):168–182
Ma J, Moy D (2007) US Patent 0179050A1
Lou XW, Zeng HC (2002) Chem Mater 14:4781
Lee JS, Lee KH, Lee JY (1992) J Phys Chem 96:362
Nagai M, Tominaga H, Omi S (2000) Langmuir 16:10215
Luo WH, Deka U, Beale AM, van Eck ERH, Bruijnincx PCA, Weckhuysen BM (2013) J Catal 301:175
Shimizu K, Kannoa S, Kona K (2014) Green Chem 16:3899
Serrano-Ruiz JC, Wang D, Dumesic JA (2010) Green Chem 12:574
Yan Z, Lin L, Liu S (2009) Energy Fuels 23:3853
Schwartz V, Teixeira da Silva V, Oyama ST (2000) J Mol Catal A 163:251
Geilen FMA, Engendahl B, Harwardt A, Marquardt W, Klankermayer J, Leitner W (2010) Angew Chem Int Ed 49:5510
Li M, Li G, Li N, Wang A, Dong W, Wang X, Conga Y (2014) Chem Commun 50:1414
Al-Shaal MG, Dzierbinski A, Palkovits R (2014) Green Chem 16:1358
Rodella CB, Barrett DH, Moya SF, Figueroa SJ, Pimenta MT, Curvelo AAS, Teixeira da Silva V (2015) RSC Adv 5(30):23874–23885
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the Brazilian Post-doctoral program CAPES/PNPD for the financial support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Quiroz, J., Mai, E.F. & Teixeira da Silva, V. Synthesis of Nanostructured Molybdenum Carbide as Catalyst for the Hydrogenation of Levulinic Acid to γ-Valerolactone. Top Catal 59, 148–158 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-015-0433-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-015-0433-6