Benzene oxidation with ozone over MnO_x/MSU-H and MnO_x/Mesoporous-SAPO-34 Catalysts

Two mesoporous silica materials, MSU-H and mesoporous SAPO-34 (Meso-SAPO-34), were applied to the catalytic oxidation with ozone of benzene. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption-desorption, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area, and H₂-temperature programmed reduction. When MnO_x/MSU-H was used at three different temperature, 50°C, 80°C, and 100°C, the ozone conversion and CO_x yield increased with increasing temperature. MnO_x/MSU-H exhibited much higher catalytic activity than that of MnO_x/Meso-SAPO-34. The high catalytic activity of MnO_x/MSU-H seems to be due to the high oxygen ability and structural stability of MSU-H. The CO₂ yield was somewhat enhanced by the addition of steam because steam facilitated desorption of the reaction intermediates adsorbed on the catalyst surface, enabling them to be oxidized further.