Structure and catalytic activity of hosted in mesoporous silicas copper species: Effect of preparation procedure and support pore topology Original Research Article

Copper modifications of ordered mesoporous materials with different pore topology (SBA-15 and KIT-6) were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation and “chemisorption–hydrolysis” methods and further oxidative or consecutive oxidative/reductive treatment. The samples were characterized by nitrogen physisorption, XRD, XPS, FTIR, UV–vis and TPR–TG techniques. The ordered structures and the “chemisorption–hydrolysis” post synthetic method provide the formation of homogeneously dispersed in the mesopores copper species. The “chemisorption–hydrolysis” modification of the silicas with more opened 3D ordered structure (KIT-6) provides the formation of highly active catalysts, but their activity could be easily suppressed after the treatment under the reduction medium.