Synthesis and characterization of zirconium silicalite-1

Zirconium silicalite-1 (ZS-1) catalysts with MFI structure were prepared using a hydrothermal synthesis method. XRD, SEM, IR,29Si MAS NMR, UV-VIS DRS, physical adsorption of nitrogen, and elemental analysis were then performed to evaluate its physico-chemical properties, and evidences of Zr4+ incorporation into the zeolite framework were provided : The unit cell volume of zirconium silicalite-1 increased linearly with increases in zirconium content, and the characteristic framework i.r. spectra shifted to lower frequencies as Zr4+ was incorporated into the silicalite-1 lattice. For its catalytic reaction test, liquid phase 2-butanol oxidation using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant was carried out. All of the zirconium silicalite-1 samples synthesized were active for the 2-butanol oxidation, but activities obtained using ZS-1 catalysts were lower than TS-1 catalyst. Zirconium in the zeolite frameworkwas found to be the active site for the 2-butanol oxidation.