Preparation, characterization and catalytic properties of titanium oxide nanoparticles coated with aluminum oxide

In the present study, TiO2 nanopowder was partially coated with Al2O3 precursors generated by a polymeric precursor method in aqueous solution. The system of nanocoated particles formed an ultra thin structure on the TiO2 nanoparticle surfaces, where the particle is the core and the nanocoating (additive) is the shell. The nanocoating process led to the obtainment of nanoparticles with important surface characteristics and catalytic behavior in the bioethanol dehydration reaction, with improved activity and particular selectivity in comparison to their non-coated analogs. Ethylene production was disfavored and selectivity toward acetaldehyde, hydrogen and ethane increased with increasing Al2O3 content in the catalysts. It is important to highlight that the TiO2–Al2O3 catalysts presented satisfactory values of selectivity toward hydrogen, in spite of the deactivation observed during the period of the test.