Nanoparticles of iron and vanadium oxides supported on iron substituted LDHs: Synthesis, textural characterization and their catalytic behavior in ethylbenzene dehydrogenation

Nanostructured catalysts derived from nanoparticles of iron or vanadium oxides supported on the matrices of iron substituted hydrotalcite-like anionic clays (layered double hydroxides, LDHs) have been obtained and tested in the process of ethylbenzene dehydrogenation to styrene. A simple synthesis method based on the LDHs "memory effect" has been used to prepare the new oxides-anionic clay structures. TEM analysis shows that on the typical FeLDH particles (average size equal to 75 nm) smaller nanoparticles are supported; their average size is equal to 7 and 11 nm for Fe/FeLDH and V/FeLDH respectively. XPS analysis indicates the presence of Fe₂O₃ and V₂O₃ on the surface of the supported LDHs. N₂ adsorption at 77 K reveals that the supported anionic clays have less accentuated mesoporous properties in comparison to the parent FeLDH matrix. The catalytic behavior of the samples is a function of the nature of the supported nanoparticles.