Parameters influencing the synergetic effect induced by vanadium incorporation on non-conventional (Al)(Ga)PO supports for the propane ammoxidation

A series of V-oxide supported catalysts (5V/AlPO4, 5V/Al0.5Ga0.5PO4, 5V/GaPO4) were prepared in order to study their catalytic behaviour in the ammoxidation of propane. Catalysts were characterized by BET surface area, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TPR-H2 and XPS. The presence of vanadium induced the crystallization of the supports (AlPO4, Al0.5Ga0.5PO4 and GaPO4). Crystalline V2O5 was observed on the V-based catalysts. Catalytic results showed that the impregnation of vanadium enhances the propane conversion and selectivity to acrylonitrile (ACN). At 530 °C 5V/Al0.5Ga0.5PO4 exhibits the highest selectivity to ACN. One assumes that the best performance of 5V/Al0.5Ga0.5PO4 in propane ammoxidation, is due to on the one hand the easiest reduction of V2O5 on Al0.5Ga0.5PO4 and to on the other hand a certain tunability of the reduced species stabilized on Al0.5Ga0.5PO4.