Facile Synthesis of Ethyl Acetate over ZrO2.TiO2 Mixed Oxide Supported Vanadium Boasted Phosphomolybdic Acid Catalyst at Room Temperature

Abstract

Initially, mixed oxide of ZrO₂.TiO₂ support was synthesized by the sol-gel method, and then after vanadium was incorporated, phosphomolybdic acid (VPMA) was synthesized by the hydrothermal method. VPMA supported on ZrO₂.TiO₂ support of various VPMA loadings that were synthesized by the impregnation method. The structure, surface area, acidity, and morphology of the materials were analysed by X-ray diffraction, BET surface area, ammonia TPD studies, and SEM analysis, respectively. The XRD result shows crystallites of zirconia, titania, and Keggin ion of VPMA catalysts, and also, below 20 wt% of VPMA loading, crystallites of Keggin ion are not observed. BET surface area analysis reveals that increase of VPMA loading, surface area was sharply declined at higher loadings. Ammonia TPD analysis finds that acidity is inclined with VPMA loadings. SEM studies reveal that bulk formation of the active phase is observed at higher loadings. Esterification of acetic acid was tested over VPMA/ZrO₂.TiO₂ catalyst that exhibited higher activity during reaction than pure VPMA catalyst. These findings were well correlated with surface area and acidity loadings.