Cu-silicalite-1 catalyst for the wet hydrogen peroxide oxidation of phenol

The aim of the present work is to study the heterogeneous wet hydrogen peroxide catalytic oxidation (WHPCO) of phenol using copper bearing Silicalite-1 type zeolite, prepared by direct hydrothermal synthesis. The catalysts used for this study were three: one (Na)Cu-Silicalite-1 and two (H)Cu-Silicalite-1 prepared by different ion exchange methods. The results on catalytic activity for phenol abatement and hydrogen peroxide consumption of these materials are presented. The copper leaching during the reaction was evaluated for all samples. A comparison with the catalytic activity and stability of a Cu-Silicalite-1 material prepared by ionic exchange method is presented.