Bismuth molybdate layered structure

Strictly speaking, it is difficult to conclude which model is most reasonable. However, summing up the results obtained by the surface analyses, it is sure at least that bismuth molybdates are concentrated on the surface of the catalyst particle. Our investigations for Mo-Bi-Co2+-Fe3+-0 also support the conclusion mentioned above, and the core-shell structure proposed by Wolfs et al. may be essentially reasonable. However, since small amounts of divalent and trivalent metal cations are observed in the surface layers, the shell structure may be incompletely constructed. The epitaxial effect has been assumed on the condensation of bismuth molybdates on the divalent and trivalent metal molybdates on the basis of the fact that the y-phase of bismuth molybdate is mainly formed on NiMo04 but the a-phase is predominant on other divalent and trivalent metal molybdates (46). The... 

Matsuura (130) measured the ESR spectra of bismuth molybdate catalysts both before and after reduction of butene. A board signal of high intensity was observed for the y phase of bismuth molybdate. The authors proposed that in the layered Bi2MoOs structure, a (Mo042 ) layer shifts with respect to the nearest layers and causes the formation of Mo-Bi-Mo sites. The results supported the earlier proposed reaction site model, based on adsorption measurements, which consisted of an A site (Bi) and two B sites (Mo). 

One possible conclusion is that under reducing conditions, metal cation movement occurs. Another possible conclusion is that despite the similar surface layer composition of bismuth and molybdenum for the three phases of bismuth molybdate, the three bismuth molybdate phases possess different catalytic activities, catalytic selectivities, adsorption properties, surface oxomolybdenum species, and reducibilities because the surface properties of the active bismuth molybdates are dependent upon the foundation upon which they exist, i.e., upon the bulk structure and its chemical and electronic properties. 

Wolfs and Batist [121] have proposed a structure for these oxide mixtures comprising a core of Me Mo04 and Me 2(MoO)4 encapsulated inside a thin shell of bismuth molybdate. This model has been supported by recent transmission electron microscopy analysis in which a cross-section of a multicomponent bismuth molybdate catalyst was shown to comprise a surface layer of Bi2Mo30i2 supported on and encapsulating a core of Con/i2Fei/i2MoOx [107]. 

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