SBA-15 with Crystalline Walls Produced via Thermal Treatment with the Alkali and Alkali Earth Metal Ions

Crystalline walled SBA-15 with large pore size were prepared using alkali and alkali earth metal ions (Na+, Li+, K+ and Ca2+). For this work, the ratios of alkali metal ions (Si/metal ion) ranged from 2.1 to 80, while the temperatures tested ranged from 500 to 700 °C. The SBA-15 prepared with Si/Na+ ratios ranging from 2.1 to 40 at 700 °C exhibited both cristobalite and quartz SiO2 structures in pore walls. When the Na+ amount increased (i.e., Si/Na increased from 80 to 40), the pore size was increased remarkably but the surface area and pore volume of the metal ion-based SBA-15 were decreased. When the SBA-15 prepared with Li+, K+ and Ca2+ ions (Si/metal ion = 40) was thermally treated at 700 °C, the crystalline SiO2 of quartz structure with large pore diameter (i.e., 802.5 Å) was observed for Ca+2 ion-based SBA-15, while no crystalline SiO2 structures were observed in pore walls for both the K+ and Li+ ions treated SBA-15. The crystalline SiO2 structures may be formed by the rearrangement of silica matrix when alkali or alkali earth metal ions are inserted into silica matrix at elevated temperature.

Selective Adsorption of H2S, H2O and SO2 over CH4 on Graphene Surface Decorated with Alkali Earth Metals: Insights from DFT Study

The selective adsorption of CH4, H2S, SO2 and H2O by alkali earth metal (AEM) decorated double vacancy graphene (DVG) was investigated with the first principles method. The most stable adsorption configurations, adsorption energy of CH4, H2S, SO2 and H2O on AEM_DVG have been discussed.

Alkali Earth Metal Molybdates as Catalysts for the Selective Oxidation of Methanol to Formaldehyde—Selectivity, Activity, and Stability

Alkali earth metal molybdates (MMoO4, M = Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba) were investigated as catalysts for the selective oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde in the search for more stable alternatives to the current industrial iron molybdate catalyst. The catalysts were prepared by either sol-gel synthesis or co-precipitation with both stoichiometric ratio (Mo:M = 1.0) and 10 mol% to 20 mol% excess Mo (Mo:M = 1.1 to 1.2). The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen physisorption, Raman spectroscopy, temperature programmed desorption of CO2 (CO2-TPD), and inductively coupled plasma (ICP). The catalytic performance of the catalysts was measured in a lab-scale, packed bed reactor setup by continuous operation for up to 100 h on stream at 400 °C. Initial selectivities towards formaldehyde of above 97% were achieved for all samples with excess molybdenum oxide at MeOH conversions between 5% and 75%. Dimethyl ether (DME) and dimethoxymethane (DMM) were the main byproducts, but CO (0.1%–2.1%) and CO2 (0.1%–0.4%) were also detected. It was found that excess molybdenum oxide evaporated from all the catalysts under operating conditions within 10 to 100 h on stream. No molybdenum evaporation past the point of stoichiometry was detected.

Ba8SrPb24O24Cl18: the first alkali-earth metal lead(ii) oxyhalide with an intriguing multimember-ring layer

A new oxyhalide Ba8SrPb24O24Cl18 exhibits fascinating multimember-ring layers and intriguing optical properties.