Models for V-MCM-41 synthesis and determination of pore size effect on methanol oxidation

A quantitative model for V-MCM-41 synthesis was developed that allows these materials to be synthesized with varying pore size but nearly constant composition and structure. These newly synthesized materials were used to test the hypothesis that the pore size (radius of curvature) would affect the catalytic activity and/or selectivity for the probe reaction of the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde by molecular oxygen. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 227th ACS National Meeting (Anaheim, CA 3/28/2004-4/1/2004).