Effect of electron exchange on the catalytic behaviour of MgV₂O₄-Mg₂ VO₄ systems in methanol oxidation

Abstract

Methanol oxidation has been carried out in a flow system over a series of vanadium spinel solid solutions MgV₂O₄-Mg₂VO₄, in which the average oxidation state of vanadium in the catalysts changes from V³⁺ to V⁴⁺. Characterization of the catalysts used involved surface area and conductivity measurements. Results obtained show that the catalytic activity of the catalysts used change with the average oxidation state of vanadium in the catalysts. A reaction scheme based on the conductivity measurements and kinetic data has been proposed, for the selective oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde.