Applied Catalysis A: General, Vol.544, 46-54, 2017
CO2 conversion to propylene carbonate catalyzed by ionic liquid containing organosilane groups supported on titanate nanotubes/nanowires
The direct conversion of CO2 into propylene carbonate was investigated using pristine sodium titanate nanotubes (TNT) and nanowires (TNW) on which the ionic liquid (IL) 1-methyl-3-(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)imidazolium chloride was supported, resulting in IL-TNTs and IL-TNWs, respectively. Anchorage of the IL through its organosilane groups (around 28 wt%) on the surface of TNT and TNW was confirmed by FTIR, DRX, EDS and TGA analyses. All the nanostructured materials showed good catalytic activity after CO2 cycloaddition to propylene oxide. IL-TNTs and IL-TNWs exhibited high catalytic performance (TOF = 46 and 49 h(-1), respectively) and 100% selectivity in propylene carbonate (propylene/catalyst molar ratio = 580, cat/cocat molar ratio = 2.4, 4.0 MPa of CO2, 383.15 K, 6 h).
Keywords:CO2 conversion;Propylene carbonate;Titanate nanotubes;Titanate nanowires;Silylated ionic liquid