Improved performance of Mo-V-Te-Nb-O x catalysts prepared from a solution containing drying control chemical additives in propane oxidation to acrylic acid

Mo1.0V0.4Te0.25Nb0.24O (x) catalyst was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis in a solution containing a drying control chemical additive (DCCA) such as propionic acid (PA) or formamide (FA). The performance of the prepared catalysts in propane oxidation for producing acrylic acid (AA) was improved because the catalyst showed an increase in both the activity and AA selectivity. The activity was increased due to an increase in the surface area and in the oxygen mobility. The AA selectivity was increased due to a decrease in the number of acidic sites, which were responsible for the unselective and deep oxidation of intermediates. The catalyst performance was degraded when excess amounts of DCCA were used in the preparation step because the surface area decreased, due to the residues of DCCA, and the surface density of acidic sites increased.