Supported H3PW12O40 (HPW) and supported Cesium-Substituted dodecatungsto-phosphate are eco-friendly solid acid catalysts. A series of different loading H3PW12O40/SiO2 and HPW/diatomite were prepared by a typical incipient wetness impregnation of methanol, meanwhile SiO2 and diatomite supported Cs-salt catalysts were prepared via two-step impregnating method. The catalysts were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results indicate that the Keggin structure of HPW is intact in the SiO2-supported HPW and SiO2-supported CsHPW. HPW and CsHPW are highly dispersed in the SiO2 at the low loading, while the loading is more than 40% the catalyst grains increase and gather on the surface of the carrier. What's more, diatomite is not a suitable support. HPW and CsHPW have better distribution in the SiO2 than in the diatomite. The activity of catalyst was tested in probe experiment of the alkylation of thiopene (TH) with 1-hexene.
Palm Frond and Spikelet as Environmentally Benign Alternative Solid Acid Catalysts for Biodiesel Production