Effects of the method of preparing iron orthophosphate catalyst on the structure and the catalytic activity

Catalytic activity of iron orthophosphate [FePO4] was studied using oxidative dehydrogenation of lactic acid to pyruvic acid as a reaction probe. The structure and surface area are different depending on the differences in the source of starting materials as well as in the preparing methods. However, the specific activity, activity per unit surface area, is little affected with the variation in the structure. By the reduction and reoxidation, the catalytic activity clearly increases. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.