Combined use of titration calorimetry and spectrofluorimetry for the screening of the acidity of solid catalysts in different liquids

The effective acid and base surface properties of selected acidic and basic samples of catalytic interest (alumina, titania, zirconia, silica–alumina, niobium oxide, niobium phosphate, boron nitride, and hydrotalcite) were measured by titration with basic and acidic molecular probes (aniline, 2-phenylethylamine, and phenol) in various liquids (cyclohexane, 1,4-dioxane, isopropanol, n-decane, and toluene) with different polar and protic characteristics. The combined use of a reaction calorimeter and a spectrofluorimeter has been performed. The set-up of the coupled technique and the most interesting results are shown here. The study confirmed that the acid–base properties of solids are deeply affected by the nature and properties of the liquid surrounding the samples. Few oxides are able to maintain their surface acidity in highly polar and protic solvents, in particular whose containing niobium. In general, the solvating and coordinative ability of the most polar and protic liquids caused remarkable loss of acidity/basicity of the oxide surfaces.