ROLE OF WATER-VAPOR IN THE PARTIAL OXIDATION OF PROPENE

The role of water vapor was explored for the partial oxidation of prop ene over antimony-tin-vanadium oxide (SB/Sn/V oxide) catalyst at 1 atm pressure and 340 degrees C using a microcatalytic packed bed reactor, Steady-state, transient kinetics, TPD, and isotopic transient experim ents were performed, Water suppresses the formation of CO2 by blocking the most active sites which are responsible for CO2 formation but wat er also enhances the rate of the catalytic oxidation by keeping the ca talyst surface at a high oxidation state and preventing the formation of strongly bonded oxygenates, Isotopic transient experiments with lab eled O-2 in the presence of water indicate a strong interaction betwee n water and the catalyst surface, Water exchanges oxygen slowly with t he surface of the catalyst. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.