Structural and Performance Characterization of Ptx/Mg-MOF-74 Catalysts for CO2 Cycloaddition to Propylene Oxide

Polymer products produced from propylene and its derivatives represent a significant market segment for chemicals and materials produced from shale gas resources.  The reaction between propylene oxide and CO₂ to form propylene carbonate is one of the few industrial reactions that utilizes CO₂ as a reactant in large quantities for the production of polymers.  In this investigation, catalysts comprised of Pt nanoparticles supported on Mg-MOF-74 were synthesized, characterized and tested using CO₂ cycloaddition to propylene oxide as a model reaction.  The results show that the Pt loading on the catalyst surface improves selectivity toward propylene carbonate.  A synergistic effect is observed where the combined use of the catalyst with DMF and DCM solvents exhibit performance beyond their use individually.  The catalysts were characterized before and after reaction using XRD, EDX, ICP, BET, FE-SEM and TGA.  The as synthesized Mg-MOF-74 crystallites are shown to have hexagonal rod-shaped morphology with Pt nanoparticles residing on Mg-MOF-74 edge sites.