Synthesis, characterization and correlation with the catalytic activity of efficient mesoporous niobia and mesoporous niobia–zirconia mixed oxide catalyst system

• Mesoporous niobia–zirconia catalyst has been prepared.
• The change in acidity by varying niobia–zirconia ratios was observed.
• Acidity was explained by Kung's model.
• High conversion of cyclohexanone oxime has been demonstrated.

Mesoporous mixed oxide has always remained as a subject of interest due to diffusion relaxation and generation of new surface potential and acidity by mixing of different stoichiometries of metal oxide. To deliver more insight on niobia based catalyst, herein, we have synthesized mesoporous niobia and five different mole ratios of niobia–zirconia mixed oxide. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, N2-physisorption, FTIR, UV–Vis and NH3-TPD techniques. Less distorted NbO6 octahedra and NbOH or Nb–OH–Zr are found to act as Bronsted center responsible for reaction. The results established the role of Kung model to generate acidic sites in mesoporous mixed oxide.

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