In order to convert glycerol into acrylic acid, catalysts were synthesized containing mixed oxides of molybdenum, vanadium, and other metals like tungsten and copper via hydrothermal treatment and coprecipitation to evaluate how these preparation techniques influence the physicochemical and morphological properties of the materials and their selectivity for obtaining acrylic acid.

Abstract

Mixed oxides of Mo-V-W-Cu were prepared by three different synthesis methods, namely, evaporation (EV), hydrothermal treatment (TH), and evaporation, followed by hydrothermal treatment (EV-TH). The catalyst samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and fluorescence (XRF), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and N₂ adsorption/desorption techniques. Subsequently, their catalytic performance was evaluated for the oxidation of acrolein to obtain acrylic acid. The results revealed that the composition of the crystalline phases of the mixed oxide catalysts influences their catalytic performance, and this effect varies depending on the synthesis method. The catalysts synthesized by EV-TH showed better catalytic results than catalysts synthesized solely via EV or TH methods. This improvement may be attributed to the higher content of vanadium oxides found in the samples of EV-TH, along with the formation of V_0.35Mo_4.65O₁₄ as the predominant crystalline phase.