DefinePK

Abstract

The hybrid nanocatalytic system under study consisted of iron (II) phthalocyanine complex (FePc) of 0.5 – ~10 wt % loading immobilized in the bentonite interlayers modified by pillaring with titania nanoparticles (88 nm). Various interactions facing FePc complex were discussed through the changes in different characteristics assessed by adopting XRD, FTIR, ICP-EDX, TGA-DrTGA, TEM, N2 adsorption-desorption and H2-chemisorption techniques. Intercalated FePc molecules could evolve excessive silanol and aluminol sites through interaction with various clay-interlayer sites and titania pillar. By applying this FePc @ Ti-PILB nanocomposite in oxidative dehydrogenation of ethyl benzene, synergistic combination of factors influencing selective production of styrene confirmed the optimum turnover frequency with maximum selectivity to styrene at 3.4 wt % FePc loading. Below this loading, redox pair factor linked with dispersion and orientation mode of FePc was predominating. In higher loaded samples of considerable silanol sites, clay acid-base pair balance became prevailing.