A study on the preparation of supported metal oxide catalysts using JRC-reference catalysts. I. Preparation of a molybdena–alumina catalyst. Part 4. Preparation parameters and impact index Original Research Article

The effects of the volume and pH of the impregnation solution and of the calcination conditions were examined on the physicochemical and catalytic properties of a 13 wt% MoO3/Al2O3 extrudate catalyst. The Al2O3 support and drying procedures (static conditions without flowing air) were fixed in the preparations. In the present series of catalysts, the amount of crystalline MoO3 was marginally small. It was found that the dispersion of Mo oxide species increased as the volume of the impregnation solution increased, gradually approaching a maximum value. The increase in pH (2–8) of the impregnation solution was found to reduce the dispersion of Mo oxide species. The Mo dispersion increased slightly for the impregnation catalysts as the calcination temperature increased (673–873 K), whereas it decreased for the equilibrium adsorption catalysts. The effects of the calcination atmosphere (with or without flowing air, or with flowing humid air) were very small on the dispersion of Mo oxide species under the present preparation conditions. On the other hand, the methanol oxidation activity of MoO3/Al2O3 was sensitive to the preparation parameters examined here. It was demonstrated by means of EPMA and XPS that a considerable migration of Mo took place during the calcination.