Oxidative dehydrogenation of (Z)-but-2-ene on iron oxide film catalysts

Abstract

Oxidative dehydrogenation of (Z)-but-2-ene on iron oxide films deposited on an inactive quartz plate has been studied. The films were composed of tiny maghaemite particles of even size. Since the film thickness was equivalent to the particle size, the films were considered to be in a two-dimensional array over the quartz plate. The catalytic activity of the films was independent of the film thickness. The selectivity of butene into butadiene was however, dependent on the thickness. An enhanced selectivity to butadiene on thin films was attributed to a haematite thin layer formed on the surface of small maghaemite crystallites, constituents of the oxide films.