SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ZIRCONIUM SILICALITE-1

Zirconium silicalite-l (ZS-l) catalysts with MFI structure were prepar ed using a hydrothermal synthesis method. XRD, SEM, IR, Si-29 MAS NMR, UV-VIS DRS, physical adsorption of nitrogen, and elemental analysis w ere then performed to evaluate its physico-chemical properties, and ev idences of Zq(4+) incorporation into the zeolite framework were provid ed: The unit cell volume of zirconium silicalite-l increased linearly with increases in zirconium content, and the characteristic framework i.r. spectra shifted to lower frequencies as Zr4+ was incorporated int o the silicalite-l lattice. For its catalytic reaction test, liquid ph ase 2-butanol oxidation using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant was carr ied out. An of the zirconium silicalite-l samples synthesized were act ive for the 2-butanol oxidation, but activities obtained using ZS-l ca talysts were lower than TS-1 catalyst. Zirconium in the zeolite framew ork was found to be the active site for the 2-butanol oxidation.