Acidity of sulfated zirconia as studied by FTIR spectroscopy of adsorbed CO and NH3 as probe molecules

The acid properties of pure and sulfated zirconias were studied by FTIR spectroscopy of adsorbed CO and NH₃ as probe molecules. Whereas pure monoclinic zirconia shows only Lewis acidity, sulfation of tetragonal and monoclinic zirconia creates new bridging OH groups. Two types of Brønsted-acidic centers and two types of Lewis-acidic centers with enhanced acid strength were identified. A communication between the different types of Lewis-acidic sites and the related adsorbed sulfate molecules could be shown. The coordination of basic molecules such as CO onto Lewis-acid sites induces a decrease of the intrinsic Brønsted-acidity of the bridging OH groups. These effects are discussed on the basis of a model of the acidic centers that was previously proposed.On leave from Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Minia University, El-Minia, Egypt.