Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Need info on Envirocat EPZG - Please help - FINDERS FEE CA$H

stoichiometric_steve - 22-9-2020 at 05:25

The manufacturer of Envirocat EPZG (a Montmorillonite K10 clay based catalyst), Contract Chemicals Ltd., has apparently gone bust. I've tried to contact them 2 years ago already, without any response from them.

Aside from the numerous papers available on its use, does anybody have more detailed info on its properties and especially its preparation? It's described as having Brønsted and Lewis acid properties and must be dried azeotropically before use.

I suspect that it's FeCl3-treated K10.

I'll give you 30 EUR equivalent in your currency of choice (minus transaction fees) for providing info leading to the suspects' successful preparation!

[Edited on 22-9-2020 by stoichiometric_steve]

[Edited on 22-9-2020 by stoichiometric_steve]

njl - 22-9-2020 at 06:12

This paper says a bit about its composition.

https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/77495/17/...

However as a proprietary catalyst I doubt you'll be able to find an exact procedure for its preparation. That said, with the information in this paper and knowledge of the available preparations for catalysts like PdCl2/C etc. you may be able to do some experimenting to get pretty close to the commercial product.

This paper also talks about substituting the catalyst you're after with some natural clays. Not sure if this is useful/interesting to you but either way:

https://sci-hub.st/10.1039/b006946i

[Edited on 9-22-2020 by njl]

stoichiometric_steve - 22-9-2020 at 06:26

Quote:

It is synthesized and supplied by Contract Chemicals, UK and is a free flowing yellow–green powder having a bulk density of 0.76 g cm23. The pH of a 2% (w/v) aqueous suspension is 2.2 and the surface area is ca. 250m2/g. Generally, it requires activation by azeotropic drying overnight or heating at 300–350 °C for 1 h (and cooling) in a flow of nitrogen (heating or cooling EPZG in air can denature the catalyst, rendering it inactive).


So it's acidic and yellow-green (indicating Fe2+ or more likely a mix of Fe2+/Fe3+).

If air drying renders it inactive, does that mean its hypothetical Fe2+ ions get oxidized by atmospheric oxygen?




[Edited on 22-9-2020 by stoichiometric_steve]

njl - 22-9-2020 at 06:49

Another paper talking about FeCl3/clay:

https://doi.org/10.1080/00397919708003381

Indian paper says that most of the EPZG series are similar in their behavior so I'm guessing they're all roughly the same composition, either iron or zinc chlorides on clay. Good luck.

stoichiometric_steve - 22-9-2020 at 07:36

Quote: Originally posted by njl  
Another paper talking about FeCl3/clay:

https://doi.org/10.1080/00397919708003381

Indian paper says that most of the EPZG series are similar in their behavior so I'm guessing they're all roughly the same composition, either iron or zinc chlorides on clay. Good luck.


Thanks alot!