ABSTRACT
The nanoparticles of Bi2O3 supported on mesoporous MCM-41 were prepared in a simple way and were well characterized. The oxidation of cyclohexane to cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone under 1 atmospheric pressure of air in the absence of any solvent and reducing agents with Bi2O3/MCM-41 nanocomposites were considered. These nanoparticles of Bi2O3 supported on mesoporous MCM-41 were found to be the very effective catalysts for cyclohexane oxidation with air in a temperature range of 280–370 ˚C. The influences of reaction temperature, the loading amount of Bi2O3 and space velocity on the oxidation of cyclohexane were also studied, and optimized conditions were investigated.
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to the Research Council of Shahrood and Kazerun branch, Islamic Azad University for financial assistance.