Novel Vanadia/meso-Co₃O₄ catalysts for the conversion of benzene–toluene–xylene to environmental friendly components via catalytic oxidation

ABSTRACT

Three – dimensional meso-porous Co₃O₄ was prepared by nanocasting pathway based on the use of mesoporous silica (KIT-6) as hard template with different Cobalt concentrations (0.5–2.5 mol ratio based on mesoporous silica KIT-6). The prepared samples was used as supports for preparing V₂O₅/Co₃O₄ (1, 6 wt% of V₂O₅) catalysts. The prepared samples were characterized by different techniques. The catalytic activity of the prepared samples were evaluated in the complete oxidation reaction of toluene, benzene, and/or p-xylene; (as model reactants of volatile organic compounds) in terms of CO₂. The catalytic reaction was carried out in a fixed-bed micro-reactor operated under atmospheric pressure and within the reaction temperature range of 200–400 °C. The data confirmed that the three dimensional-mesoporous Co₃O₄ (1.0 mole ratio) replicated sample possessed improved different parameters compared to those of the Co₃O₄ sample with other mole ratios. The data reflected the yield of Co2 is decreased upon the increase in reaction temperature to 400°C. 1 wt.% V₂O₅/m-Co₃O₄ catalyst shows a reverse direction, the CO₂ yield slowly increased in the range 150–250 °C, then jumped at 300 °C until maximum yield (100%) is observed at 400 °C. 1 wt.% V₂O₅/m-Co₃O₄ catalyst was found to be the active and selective promised catalyst for the complete oxidation of either individual aromatic volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, and/or xylene) and/or their mixtures to 100% CO₂.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Three dimensional mesoporous silica
• cobalt oxide
• vanadium pentaoxide
• volatile organic compounds
• oxidation reaction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data and materials used to support presented results and analyses of this study can be made freely available.