Influence of the Morphology of the Surface of Titanium Dioxide Nanocrystallites on Their Catalytic Properties in the Alcohol Conversion Reactions

Abstract

By using a fractal approach, it is found that the irregular structure of the surface of titanium dioxide-based catalyst has a significant effect on the values of the rate constants and activation energies of the reaction of dehydrogenation and dehydration of ethanol, n-propanol, and iso-propanol. Kinetics of ethyl and propyl alcohol conversions on titanium dioxide samples with different textures and morphologies is studied. Dependencies of activation energy and pre-exponential factor of the reaction rate on the alcohol conversions on the TiO₂ samples on their structural characteristics, particularly a fractal dimension, are established.