High-temperature close coupled catalysts Pd/Ce-Zr-M/Al2O3 (M = Y, Ca or Ba) used for the total oxidation of propane

A series of high-temperature close coupled catalysts Pd/Ce-Zr-M/Al₂O₃ (M = Y, Ca or Ba) were prepared by ultrasonic-assisted successive impregnation. The catalysts were subjected to a series of characterization measurements. The results of activity evaluation show that Y is the best promoter for propane total oxidation, especially at the calcination temperature of 1100 °C. It is interesting that although the BET specific surface areas and the dispersion of Pd species decrease, the Y-promoted catalyst calcined at 1100 °C shows higher catalytic activity than the corresponding one calcined at 900 °C and better sulfur-resisting performance. The results of TEM, TPHD and CO chemisorption indicate that Y can remarkably increase the dispersion of Pd species. However, the dispersion is hard to be connected with the activity increase as the calcination temperature is elevated from 900 to 1100 °C. The change of active phases and the interaction between Pd species and the supports may account for the activity enhancement. Combined with XRD, H₂-TPR and O₂-TPD results, it is deduced that the coexistence of metallic Pd and PdO species in the catalysts calcined at 1100 °C may be also favorable to C₃H₈ oxidation. In a word, Pd/Ce-Zr-Y/Al₂O₃ is indeed a promising high-temperature close coupled catalyst applicable to high temperature.     

Role of cobalt on γ-Al2O3 based NO x storage catalyst

Co/Pt/Ba/γ-Al₂O₃, Co/Ba/γ-Al₂O₃, Pt/Ba/γ-Al₂O₃, Co/Pt/γ-Al₂O₃, Ba/γ-Al₂O₃, Pt/γ-Al₂O₃, and Co/γ-Al₂O₃ type catalysts were prepared by a conventional impregnation method, and their NO _x storage capacities were evaluated by colorimetric assay. Co-containing catalysts had a higher NO _x storage capacity than that of Co-free counterparts. The role of each component, especially Co, for the catalysts prepared was investigated by using in-situ FTIR. The high NO _x storage for Co-containing catalysts including Co/Ba/γ-Al₂O₃ and Co/Pt/Ba/γ-Al₂O₃ is mainly due to the formation of Co₃O₄ on the catalyst surface identified by XAFS.     

Deterioration Mode of Barium-Containing NOx Storage Catalyst

Barium-containing NO _x storage catalyst showed serious deactivation under thermal exposure at high temperatures. To elucidate the thermal deterioration of the NO _x storage catalyst, four types of model catalyst, Pt/Al₂O₃, Ba/Al₂O₃, Pt–Ba/Al₂O₃, and a physical mixture of Pt/Al₂O₃ + Ba/Al₂O₃ were prepared and their physicochemical properties such as BET, NO TPD, TGA/DSC, XRD, and XPS were evaluated while the thermal aging temperature was increased from 550 to 1050°C. The fresh Pt–Ba/Al₂O₃ showed a sorption capacity of 3.35 wt%/g-cat. but the aged one revealed a reduced capacity of 2.28 wt%/g-cat. corresponding to 68% of the fresh one. It was found that this reduced sorption capacity was directly related to the deterioration of the NO _x storage catalyst by thermal aging. The Ba on Ba/Al₂O₃ and Pt–Ba/Al₂O₃ catalysts began to interact with alumina to form Ba–Al solid alloy above 600°C and then transformed into stable BaAl₂O₄ having a spinel structure. However, no phase transition was observed in the Pt/Al₂O₃ catalyst having no barium component, even after aging at 1050°C.     

Comparison of n-Pentane Reforming Over Pt Supported on Amorphous and γ-Al2O3

The n-pentane reforming activity of Pt supported on nonhydrolytic amorphous Al₂O₃ (Pt/NH–Al₂O₃), was investigated and compared to the catalytic activity of Pt supported on crystalline -Al₂O₃. The Pt was introduced by (a) impregnation with either a solution of H₂PtCl₆ in water or a solution of platinum acetylacetonate (PtAcac) in toluene; (b) in situ introduction of a Pt precursor, either PtBr₄ or cis-bis(benzonitrile)platinum dichloride, before gelation of the NH alumina. The rate-controlling step in the reforming of n-pentane for both amorphous and crystalline aluminas was found to be the reaction on the alumina acidic sites. The Pt/-Al₂O₃ catalysts exhibit higher conversions of n-pentane and higher selectivity to isopentane, than the corresponding amorphous alumina samples. After 1.5 h at 400 °C, the highest conversion of the -Al₂O₃-based catalysts was 47% with 20.3% selectivity to isopentane. The highest conversion of the NH–Al₂O₃-based catalysts under the same conditions was only 26% with 13.6% selectivity to isopentane. The high intrinsic Cl content (2.6wt%) of the amorphous alumina was found to have a minor effect on the activity of the alumina, compared to the activity of the more ordered -alumina. Catalysts prepared by impregnation of the NH alumina with aqueous chloroplatinic acid, exhibited higher conversions compared to catalysts prepared by impregnation of the NH alumina with a solution of PtAcac in toluene. This result occurred in spite of the lower surface area and lower Pt dispersions of the chloroplatinic acid-impregnated catalysts, and is explained by the formation of microcrystalline surface structures and existence of surface chlorine.     

Influence of the Storage Material on the Storage of NOx at Low Temperatures

The NO _x storage performance at low temperature (100–200 °C) has been studied for model NO _x storage catalysts. The catalysts were prepared by sequentially depositing support, metal oxide and platinum on ceramic monoliths. The support material consisted of acidic aluminium silicate, alumina or basic aluminium magnesium oxide, and the added metal oxide was either ceria or barium oxide. The NO _x conversion was evaluated under net-oxidising conditions with transients between lean and rich gas composition and the NO _x storage performance was studied by isothermal adsorption of NO₂ followed by temperature programmed desorption of adsorbed species. The maximum in NO _x storage capacity was observed at 100 °C for all samples studied. The Pt/BaO/Al₂O₃ catalyst stored about twice the amount of NO _x compared with the Pt/Al₂O₃ and Pt/CeO₂/Al₂O₃ samples. The storage capacity increased with increasing basicity of the support material, i.e. Pt/Al₂O₃·SiO₂ < Pt/Al₂O₃ < Pt/Al₂O₃ · MgO. Water did not significantly affect the NO _x storage performance for Pt/Al₂O₃ or Pt/BaO/Al₂O₃.     

Role of Support in Lean DeNOx Catalysis

FTIR and pulse thermal analysis were applied to investigate catalysts containing Pt (1 wt%)/Ba (17 wt%) supported on -Al₂O₃, SiO₂ and ZrO₂. The aim was to learn how the support material affects the thermal stability of barium carbonate and its activity in the reaction to bulk Ba(NO₃)₂. The lower thermal stability of BaCO₃ in alumina supported samples was found to influence the formation of barium nitrate during the NO _x storage process. Quantification of Ba(NO₃)₂ formed during NO _x storage indicated that for alumina supported catalysts only ca. 30% of barium present in the sample is involved in the storage process. The low thermal stability found for alumina supported barium nitrite excludes its role in the formation of barium nitrate during interaction of NO _x with the catalyst at 300 °C. The studies indicate that -Al₂O₃ plays a major role in influencing the thermal stability of BaCO₃ and Ba(NO₃)₂. This finding seems to be relevant for the higher activity of -Al₂O₃-supported catalysts in NO _x storage reduction reactions.     

Kinetics and selectivity of methyl-ethyl-ketone combustion in air over alumina-supported PdOx–MnOx catalysts

A study is presented of the kinetics and oxidation selectivity of methyl-ethyl-ketone (MEK) in air over bimetallic PdO_x(0–1 wt% Pd)–MnO_x(18 wt% Mn)/Al₂O₃ and monometallic PdO_x(1 wt% Pd)/Al₂O₃ and MnO_x(18 wt% Mn)/Al₂O₃ catalysts. Reaction rate data were obtained at temperatures in the 443–523 K range and for MEK partial pressures in the reactor feed of between 6.5 and 126.6 Pa. Products of both MEK combustion and partial oxidation reactions were found. Monometallic Pd/Al₂O₃ was the most selective catalyst for complete oxidation whereas the partial oxidation of MEK in the presence of manganese oxides was significant. The maximum yield for the partial oxidation products (acetaldehyde, methyl-vinyl-ketone, and diacetyl) was always below 10%. Kinetic studies showed that the rates of CO₂ formation over PdO_x/Al₂O₃ were well-fitted by the surface redox Mars–van Krevelen (MvK) kinetic expression and also by a Langmuir–Hinshelwood (LH) model derived after considering the surface reaction between adsorbed MEK and oxygen as the rate-determining step. In the case of the Mn-containing catalysts the MvK model provides the best fit. Irrespective of the model, the kinetic parameters for the bimetallic Pd–Mn catalysts were between the values obtained for the monometallic samples, suggesting an additive rather than a cooperative effect between palladium and manganese species for MEK combustion.     

Preparation and Characterization of Copper Catalysts Supported on Mesoporous Al2O3 Nanofibers for N2O Reduction to N2

The gas-phase hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexane over Ce_{1 - x} Pt _x O_{2 -} (x = 0.01, 0.02) catalyst was investigated in the temperature range 80-200 °C. A 42% conversion of benzene to cyclohexane with 100% specificity was observed at 100 °C over Ce_0.98Pt_0.02O_{2 -} with a catalyst residence time of 1.22 × 10⁴ g s/mol of benzene. The activity of the catalyst was compared with those of Pt metal, combustion-synthesized Pt/-Al₂O₃ and Pt/-Al₂O₃. The turnover frequency value of Ce_0.98Pt_0.02O_{2 -} is 0.292, which is an order of magnitude higher than those of the other Pt catalysts investigated. The kinetics of reaction and the deactivation behavior of the catalyst were studied and a regeneration methodology was suggested. The deactivation kinetics and structural evidence from XRD, XPS, TGA and H₂ uptake studies suggest that the oxidized Pt in Ce_0.98Pt_0.02O_{2 -} is responsible for the high catalytic activity towards benzene hydrogenation.     

Conversions of Methane to Synthesis Gas over Co/γ-Al2O3 by CO2 and/or O2

The goal of the paper was to investigate the effect of the catalyst precursor on the catalytic activity. For this reason, the structure, the reducibility and the reaction behavior of -Al₂O₃-supported Co (24 wt%) catalysts as a function of calcination temperature (T _c) were investigated using X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction, CO chemisorption, pulse reaction with pure CH₄, and the catalytic reactions of methane conversion to synthesis gas. Depending on T _c, one, two, or three of the following Co-containing compounds, Co₃O₄, Co₂AlO₄, and CoAl₂O₄, were identified. Their reducibility decreased in the sequence: Co₃O₄>Co₂AlO₄>CoAl₂O₄. Co₃O₄ was generated as a major phase at a T _c of 500°C and Co₂AlO₄ and CoAl₂O₄ at a T _c of 1000°C. The reduced Co/-Al₂O₃ catalysts, obtained via the reduction of the 500 and 1000°C calcined catalysts, provided high and stable activities for the partial oxidation of methane and the combined partial oxidation and CO₂ reforming of methane. They deactivated, however, rapidly in the CO₂ reforming of methane. Possible explanations for the stability are provided.     

Reduction of NO by CO on PdO-MoO3/γ-Al2O3 of low molybdena loading

The catalytic activity for the reduction of NO by CO of five PdO-MoO₃/-Al₂O₃ catalysts is compared in the presence of varying amounts of oxygen at reaction temperatures from 25 to 550 °C. The samples were prepared by different methods and contain about 2% of Mo and 2% Pd. Results are compared with the activities and selectivities of PdO/ -A1₂O₃ and PdO-MoO₃/-Al₂O₃ containing 2% Pd and 2% Pd + 20% Mo, respectively. All catalysts showed appreciable activity at temperatures between 300 and 550 °C and at stoichiometric ratios,R, of the oxidizing to reducing gases of 0.1 <R < 1.1. The activity of three PdO-MoO₃/ -A1₂O₃ catalysts with low concentrations of Mo and Pd was found to be significantly higher than the activity of PdO/-Al₂O₃ at 1.1 <R < 1.3 and at temperatures between 300 and 500 °C. The improved activity is ascribed to the interaction of the active metals.     

Thermal stability of palladium on ceria-doped alumina

Several palladium on alumina and ceria/alumina catalysts were prepared and oxidized in air between 400 and 1000°C. The metal dispersion was determined by hydrogen titration of adsorbed oxygen. Dispersions above 50% were maintained on 0.2% Pd/Al₂O₃ up to 900°C. Adding 5.0% ceria, or increasing the metal loading to 2.5%, greatly reduces the thermal stability of the palladium, such that the dispersion falls rapidly at 600°C. The rates of methane oxidation (moles of CO₂/g Pd h) at 250°C and 5% excess oxygen are nearly equal on 0.22–2.50% Pd/3.5–5.2% CeO₂/Al₂O₃, dispersion 14–42%, and 0.20–0.46% Pd/Al₂O₃, dispersion 59–86%, but are 10 to 20 times lower than the rate on 2.3% Pd/Al₂O₃, dispersion 11%. The lower rate of methane oxidation on ceria-promoted and highly dispersed palladium on alumina might be due to the conversion of the palladium into less active palladium oxide during reaction.     

Catalytic Activity of Supported Platinum and Metal Oxide Catalysts for Toluene Oxidation

Oxidation of toluene has been investigated over supported platinum as well as over a variety metal oxide (M _x O _y ) catalysts dispersed on high surface area γ-Al₂O₃. Catalysts were characterized with respect to their specific surface area (BET), metal dispersion (selective chemisorption of CO), phase composition and M _x O _y crystallite size (XRD) and reducibility (H₂-TPR). Catalytic performance for the title reaction was investigated in the temperature range of 100–500 °C, using a feed composition consisting of 0.1% toluene in air. For Pt/M _x O _y catalysts, it has been found that catalytic performance depends on the nature of the support, with Pt/CeO₂ being the most active catalyst at low temperatures. The intrinsic reaction rate per surface platinum atom does not depend on Pt loading (0.5–5 wt%), at least for Pt/Al₂O₃. Reducible metal oxides, such as ceria, are active for the title reaction and catalytic performance is improved significantly with increase of specific surface area (SSA). However, the intrinsic reaction rate per unit surface area is invariant with SSA. Dispersion of M _x O _y on high surface area inert supports, such as Al₂O₃, results in materials with relatively high catalytic activity, which seems to correlate well with the reducibility of metal oxides. Catalytic performance of M _x O _y /Al₂O₃ catalysts can be optimized by proper selection of M _x O _y loading. Best performing catalysts of this series include 60% MnO, 90% CeO₂ and 5% CuO on Al₂O₃ which, under the present experimental conditions, are able to completely convert toluene toward CO₂ at temperatures lower than 350 °C. Dispersion of Pt on M _x O _y /Al₂O₃ catalysts improves significantly the catalytic performance of irreducible M _x O _y but does not alter appreciably the activity of reducible M _x O _y /Al₂O₃ catalysts.     

Improvement of thermal stability of NO oxidation Pt/Al2O3 catalyst by addition of Pd

The present work has been undertaken to tailor Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts active for NO oxidation even after severe heat treatments in air. For this purpose, the addition of Pd has been attempted, which is less active for this reaction but can effectively suppress thermal sintering of the active metal Pt. Various Pd-modified Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts were prepared, subjected to heat treatments in air at 800 and 830 °C, and then applied for NO oxidation at 300 °C. The total NO oxidation activity was shown to be significantly enhanced by the addition of Pd, depending on the amount of Pd added. The Pd-modified catalysts are active even after the severe heat treatment at 830 °C for a long time of 60 h. The optimized Pd-modified Pt/Al₂O₃ catalyst can show a maximum activity limited by chemical equilibrium under the conditions used. The bulk structures of supported noble metal particles were examined by XRD and their surface properties by CO chemisorption and EDX-TEM. From these characterization results as well as the reaction ones, the size of individual metal particles, the chemical composition of their surfaces, and the overall TOF value were determined for discussing possible reasons for the improvement of the thermal stability and the enhanced catalytic activity of Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts by the Pd addition. The Pd-modified Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts should be a promising one for NO oxidation of practical interest.     

Mesitylene solvated platinum atoms in the preparation of efficient supported catalysts for the dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane to toluene

Mesitylene solvated platinum atoms have been conveniently used for the deposition of active Pt particles on -Al₂O₃ supports. The so prepared catalysts have been compared with traditionally obtained Pt/-Al₂O₃ catalysts in the dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane to toluene, at 200 and 250 °C, showing, at low Pt loadings, a much greater specific activity.     

Bimetallic catalysts for the catalytic combustion of methane using microreactor technology

Pt–W and Pt–Mo based catalysts were evaluated for methane combustion using a sandwich-type microreactor. Alumina washcoated microchannels were impregnated with platinum in combination with and promoted with tungsten and molybdenum and compared with commercially available Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts. Catalysts were tested in the range of 300–700 °C with flow rates adjusted to GHSV of 74,000 h⁻¹ and WHSV of 316 L h⁻¹ g⁻¹. Catalysts containing tungsten were found to be the most active and the most stable possibly due to a metal interaction effect. A Pt–W/γ-Al₂O₃ containing 4.6 wt% Pt and 9 wt% W displayed the highest activity with full conversion at 600 °C and a selectivity to CO₂ of 99%.     

Role of La2O3 in Pd-Supported Catalysts for Methanol Decomposition

Systems of Pd supported on various La₂O₃-modified -Al₂O₃ and CeO₂–Al₂O₃ catalysts were tested for catalytic methanol decomposition and characterized by means of XRD, BET, TPR, H₂-chemisorption and CO–FTIR. The addition of lanthanum significantly improved the selectivity of CO and H₂ for all the catalysts but showed a different influence on the catalytic activity in two systems. Methanol conversion decreased on La₂O₃-modified Pd/-Al₂O₃ catalysts, in line with the reduction of Pd dispersion, while the addition of La₂O₃ improved the dispersion of Pd and reinforced Pd–CeO₂ interaction for La₂O₃-modified Pd/CeO₂–Al₂O₃ catalysts, which resulted in a high production rate of CO and H₂. Thus, a synergistic effect between CeO₂ and La₂O₃ was observed on -Al₂O₃-supported Pd catalyst for methanol decomposition.     

Amination of Polyethylene Glycol to Polyetheramine over the Supported Nickel Catalysts

Surface nickel (NiO _x ) species, surface NiAl _x O _y compound, and NiO crystallites are present on the Ni/Al₂O₃ catalysts, and the ratio of these nickel species is dependent on the nickel loading. Surface nickel interacts with the TiO₂ support to form a surface nickel titanate compound (NiTiO _x ) which has a lower reducibility. The weak interaction between the surface nickel and the silica support results in the formation of NiO crystallites on the SiO₂ surface. The Ni/Al₂O₃ and Ni/TiO₂ catalysts contain new surface Lewis acid sites and the amount of surface Lewis acid sites increases with increasing nickel concentration. The Ni/SiO₂ catalysts have no sign of the presence of the surface Lewis acid sites. Only the Ni/Al₂O₃ catalysts have shown the ammonia adsorption at temperature of 200°C. Supported nickel on alumina catalysts possess the highest amination conversion, and the amine yield increases with increasing nickel loading up to 15% and starts to level off. By comparing amination catalysis with quantitatively TPR studies of the H₂ consumed of the Ni/Al₂O₃ catalysts, it appears that the dispersed nickel species are the active sites for amination. In addition, the amination product is mainly the secondary amine due to the presence of water.     

Palladium and platinum catalysts supported on carbon nanofiber coated monoliths for low-temperature combustion of BTX

In this work carbon nanofiber (CNF)-coated monoliths with a very thin, homogeneous, consistent and good adhered CNF layer were obtained by means of catalytic decomposition of ethylene on Ni particles.The catalytic behaviour of Pt and Pd supported on the CNF-coated monoliths was studied in the low-temperature catalytic combustion of benzene, toluene and m-xylene (BTX) and compared with the performance of Pt and Pd supported on γ-Al₂O₃ coated monoliths.The catalysts supported on CNF-coated monoliths were the most active, independent of the metal catalyst or the type of the tested aromatic compound. TPD experiments showed that the γ-Al₂O₃ phase retained important amounts of the water molecules produced during the reaction. When water vapour was supplied to the reactant flow, the activity of Pd catalysts decreased much stronger than the Pt ones, and the activity of the Pt catalysts supported on the γ-Al₂O₃ was more affected than that of the catalysts supported on CNF.BTX combustion reactions seem to be catalyzed by Pt and Pd through different kinetic mechanisms, explaining why Pt catalysts always were more active than the Pd ones deposited on the same type of support. Pd catalyzed combustion of benzene is strongly inhibited by oxygen and by water.Catalysts supported on CNF-coated monoliths showed a selectivity to burn benzene better than toluene or m-xylene, attributed to a better aromatic-CNF surface interaction.     

The effects of Pt promotion on the oxi-reduction properties of alumina supported nickel catalysts for oxidative steam-reforming of methane: Temperature-resolved XAFS analysis

The effects of Pt trace addition on the oxi-reduction properties of the Ni/Al₂O₃ and Ni/La–Al₂O₃ catalysts during partial oxidation of methane (POM) and autothermal reforming of methane (ATR) were investigated. The xPt–Ni/yLa–Al₂O₃ catalysts containing 15 wt% of Ni, 0 or 12 wt% of La and 0 or 0.05 wt% of Pt were characterized by temperature-resolved X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy under various atmospheres.The in situ XANES analysis for Pt–Ni/Al₂O₃ under H₂ and CO revealed that the presence of Pt sites can initiate the NiO reduction process by rapid dissociation of H₂ and migration of atomic H to the NiO surface by hydrogen spillover. On the other hand, in situ XANES analysis under CH₄ showed that the presence of Pt sites induces the activation of the methane, probably by initial dissociation of methane (CH₄ → CH₃ + H) followed by migration of atomic H to the NiO surface. In situ XANES experiments under a POM mixture demonstrate that Pt has an important role keeping Ni in the metallic state. The catalytic test results for POM and ATR demonstrate that Pt is an important promoter to maintain Ni in the metallic state at the inlet region of the catalytic bed, where CH₄ and O₂ coexist.     

Preferential CO oxidation over supported Pt catalysts

Preferential CO oxidation reaction has been carried out at a gas hourly space velocity of 46,129 h^?1 over supported Pt catalysts prepared by an incipient wetness impregnation method. Al2O3, MgO-Al₂O₃ (MgO=30 wt% and 70 wt%) and MgO were employed as supports for the target reaction. 1 wt% Pt/Al₂O₃ catalyst exhibited very high performance (X _CO >90% at 175 ^°C for 100 h) in the reformate gases containing CO₂ under severe conditions. This result is mainly due to the highest Pt dispersion, easier reducibility of PtO _x , and easier electron transfer of metallic Pt. In addition, 1 wt% Pt/Al₂O₃ catalyst was also tested in the reformate gases with both CO₂ and H₂O to evaluate under realistic condition.