Influences of Interactive Effect Between ZrO 2 and Nano-SiO 2 on the Formation of 1,3-Butadiene from Ethanol and Acetaldehyde

This paper has systematically investigated the structures and properties of the ZrO2, Nano-SiO2 and their composition. The catalysts were prepared by impregnation, characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption, TEM, XRD, Raman, temperature-programmed desorption of NH3 and CO2, FTIR spectroscopy of adsorbed pyridine and CO2, and UV–vis spectra. Compared with dry-mixed samples, these catalysts have larger average pore diameter, enabling ZrO2 to be dispersed more uniformly on the surface of Nano-SiO2. With the Zr–O–Si bonds, ZrO2 could interact intensely with Nano-SiO2. The catalyst prepared shows the best performance, with the selectivity of 93.18% and conversion of 58.52%. The preparation methods have a significant influence on the interaction between ZrO2 and Nano-SiO2, which then affects the acid–basic properties. This paper finds that weak acid–basic sites with moderate-intensity are more suitable for ethanol conversion to BD, with the amount of acid and basic sites as close as possible.