Catalytic wet oxidation of phenol over PtxAg1−xMnO2/CeO2 catalysts

Catalytic wet oxidation reactions of aqueous phenol over unpromoted, base- and noble-metal promoted MnO₂/CeO₂ catalysts were carried out under mild conditions (80–130°C, 0.5 MPa O₂) in a batch slurry reactor. Even though the catalyst-mediated oxidation was very effective in destroying phenol, only a moderate selectivity toward complete mineralization into CO₂ and H₂O was attained due to parallel formation of deactivating carbonaceous deposits. Promotion of the mixed-oxide catalysts with platinum and/or silver enhanced the mineralization selectivity and reduced appreciably the amount of deposits.     

Catalytic wet air oxidation of butyric acid solutions using carbon-supported iridium catalysts

Aqueous solutions of butyric acid were treated by catalytic wet air oxidation using carbon-supported iridium catalysts in a stirred reactor. Under the operating conditions of 6.9 bar of oxygen partial pressure and 200 °C of temperature, conversions up to 52.9% after 2 h were obtained depending on the type of catalyst used. The effects of butyric acid initial concentration, loading of catalyst, oxygen partial pressure and temperature were investigated and the empirical rate law for acid conversion is presented. Oxidation intermediates such as propionic and acetic acid were identified. The heterogeneous catalyzed free-radical oxidation of butyric acid is discussed.     

Catalytic wet air oxidation of aqueous solution of 2-chlorophenol over Ru/zirconia catalysts

Ru loaded zirconia catalysts (Ru/ZrO₂) were found to be active in the catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) at relatively mild temperature. To optimize the reaction conditions, the effects of different operating parameters, such as the rotation speed, the reaction temperature, the total pressure, the initial concentration and the pH of the initial 2-CP solution on the catalytic activity of 3 wt.% Ru/ZrO₂ were evaluated. The activation energy for the CWAO of 2-CP over Ru/ZrO₂ was calculated to be 36 kJ mol⁻¹. The 2-CP removal rate is zero order with respect to the initial 2-CP concentration. The CWAO of 2-CP changes from first order (oxygen diffusion control) to zero order (kinetic control) with respect to the oxygen partial pressure when the total pressure is higher than 4 MPa. The conversion of 2-CP increases with the pH of the initial 2-CP solution. The dechlorination reaction is promoted at higher pH. However, too high pH limits the total mineralization of 2-CP because the adsorption of the reaction intermediates is hindered. It was also confirmed that Ru(NO)(NO₃)₃ is better than RuCl₃ to act as a ruthenium precursor.     

Catalytic wet air oxidation of phenol and acrylic acid over Ru/C and Ru–CeO2/C catalysts

Ru/C catalysts promoted, or not, by cerium were prepared by impregnation of an active carbon (961 m² g⁻¹) with chlorine-free precursors of Ru and Ce. They were characterized by chemisorption of H₂ and of CO and by electron microscopy. TEM and H₂ chemisorption gives coherent results while CO chemisorption overestimates Ru dispersion. In Ru–Ce/C, Ce is in close contact with Ru and decreases Ru accessibility.

Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of phenol and of acrylic acid (160°C and 20 bar of O₂) was investigated over these catalysts and their performance (activity, selectivity to intermediate compounds) compared with that of a reference Ru/CeO₂ catalyst. Carbon-supported catalysts were very active for the CWAO of phenol but not for acrylic acid. Although high conversions were obtained, phenol was not totally mineralized after 3 h. It was shown that acrylic acid was more strongly adsorbed than phenol. Moreover, the number of contact points between Ru particles and CeO₂ crystallites constitutes a key parameter in these reactions. A high surface area of ceria is required to insure O₂ activation when the organic molecule is strongly adsorbed.     

Catalytic wet air oxidation of acetic acid over different ruthenium catalysts

Ruthenium catalysts were prepared by impregnation of different supports: ZrO₂, CeO₂, TiO₂, ZrO₂–CeO₂ and TiO₂–CeO₂. Their activities for acetic acid oxidation in aqueous solution were investigated in a stirred reactor at a reaction temperature of 200 °C and total pressure of 4 MPa. The order of the catalyst activity obtained was RuO₂/ZrO₂–CeO₂ > RuO₂/CeO₂ > RuO₂/TiO₂–CeO₂ > RuO₂/ZrO₂ > RuO₂/TiO₂, which corresponds to surface concentration of non-lattice oxygen (defect-oxide or hydroxyl-like group) of these catalysts. The non-lattice oxygen on the catalyst surface plays an important role in the catalytic activity.     

Catalytic wet air oxidation of Kraft bleach plant effluents in a trickle-bed reactor over a Ru/TiO2 catalyst

Catalytic wet air oxidation of two acidic and alkaline Kraft bleach plant effluents (total organic carbon (TOC) content 1138 and 1331 mg l⁻¹, respectively) was investigated in a trickle-bed reactor at T=463 K and oxygen partial pressure of 8 bar. The reactor packed with titania or titania-supported ruthenium catalyst was operated in a low-interaction (LIR) trickle-flow regime either in continuous-flow or batch-recycle mode. In the off-gas, no carbon monoxide was detected in any of the runs. When the catalytic bed was composed of TiO₂ particles, moderate abatement of organic compounds from the bleach plant effluents was observed (TOC conversions up to 46 and 26%, respectively). The removal of parent organic material was further enhanced by deposition of metallic ruthenium (3 wt.%) on the titanium oxide support. In that case, the once-through oxidation produced decolorized outlet streams with TOC conversions as high as 89 and 88%, respectively. These values further increased to 98 and 95%, respectively, by running the trickle-bed reactor in the batch-recycle mode of operation; the residual carbon content in treated effluents was found in the form of acetic acid. No leaching of Ru or Ti was detected by ICP-AES analysis to the detection limits of 0.2 and 0.1 mg l⁻¹, respectively.     

Wet air oxidation of p-coumaric acid over promoted ceria catalysts

The catalytic wet air oxidation (WAO) of p-coumaric acid (PCA) has been investigated over Fe- and Zn-promoted ceria catalysts. The catalysts have been prepared by the coprecipitation method and have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET surface area, SEM–EDX and temperature programmed reduction (TPR). The oxidation reaction was carried out in a batch reactor under an air pressure of 2 MPa and in the temperature range 353–403 K. Fe-CeO₂ catalysts, with 20–50 mol% of iron, were found more effective than the unpromoted and Zn-promoted ceria catalysts. On the basis of characterization data, it has been suggested that the higher activity of the Fe-promoted catalysts is related to the modification of the structural and redox properties of the ceria oxide catalyst on addition of iron.     

Catalytic wet air oxidation of dye pollutants by polyoxomolybdate nanotubes under room condition

In order to develop a catalyst with high activity and stability for catalytic wet air oxidation of pollutant dyes at room condition, a new polyoxometalate Zn_1.5PMo₁₂O₄₀ with nanotube structure was prepared using biological template. The structure and morphology were characterized using infrared (IR) spectra, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DR-UV–vis), elemental analyses, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). And the degradation of Safranin-T (ST), a hazardous textile dye, under air at room temperature and atmospheric pressure was studied as a model experiment to evaluate the catalytic activity of this polyoxomolybdate catalyst. The results show that the catalyst has an excellent catalytic activity in treatment of wastewater containing 10 mg/L ST, and 98% of color and 95% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) can be removed within 40 min. And the organic pollutant of ST was totally mineralized to simple inorganic species such as HCO₃⁻, Cl⁻ and NO₃⁻ during this time (total organic carbon (TOC) decreased 92%). The structure and morphology of the catalyst under different cycling runs show that the catalyst are stable under such operating conditions and the leaching tests show negligible leaching effect owning to the lesser dissolution. So this polyoxomolybdate nanotube is proved to be a heterogeneous catalyst in catalytic wet air oxidation of organic dye.     

Characterization and reactivity of MoO3/SiO2 catalysts in the selective catalytic oxidation of ammonia to N2

Silica-supported MoO₃ catalysts with MoO₃ loadings up to 21% w/w were prepared, characterized and tested in the selective catalytic oxidation (SCO) of ammonia to N₂ under dilute conditions. It is found that the catalysts are active and selective in the reaction, and that the catalytic performance increases on increasing the Mo loading. Crystalline MoO₃, detected over the silica support, is supposed to be the active species in the reaction. The reactivity of the catalysts is depressed by water addition to the feed at low temperatures and is enhanced by the presence of selected promoters, like Bi and Pb.     

Design composite oxide supported Pt catalyst for catalytic wet air oxidation of ammonia with a high concentration in chloride system

Massive discharge of ammonia nitrogen wastewater not only causes eutrophication of the water body but also has a toxic effect on humans and living things. How to deal with ammonia nitrogen wastewater is a crucial topic for researchers. Here, a novel catalyst of Pt@Ti–Si where platinum was supported on a composite oxide of titanium oxide (TiO₂) and silicon oxide (SiO₂) via a one-pot method was successfully synthesized for catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of ammonia with a high concentration (more than 2000 ppm). Due to the improved specific surface area of SiO₂ and the excellent acid-base resistance of TiO₂, the prepared composite oxide-supported platinum catalyst has excellent catalytic performance and good stability for CWAO with a high concentration of ammonia. At 200 °C and the O₂ pressure of 2 MPa for 2 h, the 1%Pt@Ti10–Si1 catalyst has a 96.32% conversion of 2470 ppm ammonia and 97.15% selectivity to N₂ and has good catalytic performance even after five cycles. Under the same reaction conditions, when the chloride concentration in the system is 3000–10000 ppm, the CWAO reaction can be inhibited at an early stage and promote conversion and selectivity at a later stage. The results show that the catalyst has good tolerance to chloride ions, and the treated ammonia nitrogen wastewater can be used for subsequent biochemical processes. Therefore, the developed novel catalyst in this study is effective for the CWAO of highly concentrated ammonia and has potential industrial application value.     

Fast catalytic degradation of organic dye with air and MoO3:Ce nanofibers under room condition

One-dimensional Ce doped MoO₃ nanofibers with different Ce doping amount have been synthesized by a combination method of sol–gel process and electrospinning technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the resulting samples. These fibers are interesting for a number of catalytic applications. The best catalytic activity was obtained over 11.86 wt.% CeO₂-doped MoO₃ with 98% degradation effect of 0.3 g L⁻¹ Safranin-T by air under room condition towards complete degradation products such as HCO₃⁻ and NO₃⁻ within 20 min. The leaching test showed that this MoO₃:Ce nanofiber catalyst has an excellent stability and can be used as a rapid heterogeneous catalyst for about ten times by simply treatment.     

Reaction pathway of the catalytic wet air oxidation of phenol with a Fe/activated carbon catalyst

Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of phenol with molecular oxygen using a home-made Fe/activated carbon catalyst at mild operating conditions (100–127 °C; 8 atm) has been studied in a trickle-bed reactor. Ring compounds (hydroquinone, p-benzoquinone and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) and short-chain organic acids (maleic, malonic, oxalic, acetic and formic) have been identified as intermediate oxidation products. CWAO experiments using each one of these intermediates as starting compound have been carried out (at 127 °C and 8 atm) in order to elucidate the reaction pathway. It was found that phenol is oxidized through two different ways. It can be either para-hydroxylated to hydroquinone, which is instantaneously oxidized to p-benzoquinone or para-carboxylated to p-hydroxybenzoic acid. p-Benzoquinone is majorly mineralized to CO₂ and H₂O through oxalic acid formation whereas p-hydroxybenzoic acid gives rise to short-chain acids. Only acetic acid showed to be refractory to CWAO under the operating conditions used in this work. The catalyst avoids the presence of ring-condensation products in the reactor effluent which were formed in absence of it. This is an additional important feature because of the ecotoxicity of such compounds.     

Characterizations of platinum catalysts supported on Ce, Zr, Pr-oxides and formation of carbonate species in catalytic wet air oxidation of acetic acid

Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of aqueous solution of acetic acid (78 mmol L⁻¹) was carried out with pure oxygen (2 MPa) at 200 °C in a stirred batch reactor on platinum supported oxide catalysts (Pt/oxide, oxide = CeO₂, Zr_0.1Ce_0.9O₂, Zr_0.1(Ce_0.75Pr_0.25)_0.9O₂ and ZrO₂). Platinum was loaded on oxides by impregnation (5 wt%), and then the catalysts were reduced under H₂. Homogenous dispersions of 2–3 nm metal crystallites were obtained. The catalytic activity depended on the ability of the support to resist to the formation of carbonates. Ce(CO₃)OH species, determined by FT-IR and XRD, were rapidly formed during the CWAO reaction especially on mixed oxides. These carbonates were responsible to a drastic drop in catalytic performances. Amounts of carbonate species increase with the ability of the catalyst to transfer oxygen.     

Importance of palladium dispersion in Pd/Al2O3 catalysts for complete oxidation of humid low-methane–air mixtures

The catalytic oxidation is considered as an environmental benign method for utilization of various methane-poor gas mixtures, including humid post-ventilation air of coal mines. The small crystallites of palladium phase in the Pd/Al₂O₃ catalyst decrease temperatures necessary to ignite the methane oxidation reaction and to achieve complete conversion of methane. The isotopic exchange of oxygen between the catalyst and the gas phase, the temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) with methane and the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies suggest that it can result from a higher number of the Pd–PdO sites present on the catalysts with small palladium crystallites. The inhibiting effect of water vapour present in the reaction mixture increases with lower dispersion of palladium phase as well as with the water concentration in the feed. The larger palladium crystallites are more significantly affected by the presence of water. It is suggested that water vapour blocks the Pd–PdO active sites. The catalysts with small crystallites (<6.6 nm) of palladium can be successfully used for mitigation of the emission of methane from coal mine post-ventilation air and, after increasing of the methane concentration to 1–2 vol.%, for its utilization for the energy production. In the case of such catalysts even a high concentration of water vapour has the least negative influence on the catalyst activity and it will not interfere with obtaining of the 100% conversion of methane below 650 °C.     

Development of Fe2O3-CeO2-TiO2/γ-Al2O3 as catalyst for catalytic wet air oxidation of methyl orange azo dye under room condition

In order to develop a catalyst with high activity and stability for catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) process at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, we prepared Fe₂O₃-CeO₂-TiO₂/γ-Al₂O₃ by consecutive impregnation, and determined its properties using BET, SEM, XRF, XPS and chemical analysis techniques. The degradation of an azo dye, methyl orange, in CWAO process with Fe₂O₃-CeO₂-TiO₂/γ-Al₂O₃ used as catalyst at room temperature and atmospheric pressure was also investigated, and the results show that the catalyst has an excellent catalytic activity in treating synthetic wastewater containing 500 mg/L methyl orange, and 98.09% of color and 96.08% of total organic carbon (TOC) can be removed in 2.5 h. The degradation pathway of methyl orange was analyzed by UV–vis and FT-IR spectra. The result of leaching tests shows the catalyst has an excellent stability with negligible leaching ions, and the leaching of Ce is effectively controlled by adding Ti, because Ce and Ti in the catalyst take the form of compound oxides, and the deactivation of the catalyst in successive runs is caused by the adsorption of intermediates on the surface and coverage of the active sites. The catalytic activity of the deactivated catalyst can be generally restored by rinsing it in hydrochloric acid followed by calcination.     

Comparative study of support effects in ruthenium catalysts applied for wet air oxidation of aromatic compounds

Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) reactions of aniline and phenol were conducted over supported ruthenium catalysts. Three support materials were employed: ZrO₂ and graphite, which exhibit medium adsorption capacities for pollutants and present mesopores in their texture, and an activated carbon. This latter has higher adsorption capacity for pollutants because of the large capability of the micropores for contaminant retention from water. The Ru catalysts supported on the activated carbon material showed the higher values of conversion in the oxidation of aniline and of conversion and mineralization in the reaction of phenol. Under our experimental conditions the role of micropores present on the support material seems to be relevant for improving catalytic performances. The incorporation of Ru nanoparticles from different precursors has been also evaluated. Even if the final Ru particle size is a key parameter for the catalytic mineralization, a cooperative effect with the activated carbon support has been established.     

Catalytic wet air oxidation of olive oil mill effluents: 4. Treatment and detoxification of real effluents

Olive oil mill wastewater (OMW) generated by the olive oil extraction industry constitutes a major pollutant, posing severe environmental threats. It contains a high organic load and phytotoxic and antibacterial phenolic compounds which resist biological degradation. Platinum and ruthenium supported titania or zirconia were studied in the catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of OMWs in a batch reactor and in a continuous trickle-bed reactor. CWAO experiments at 190 °C and 70 bar total air pressure confirmed the effective elimination of the TOC (total organic carbon) and of the phenolic content of actual diluted OMW. Simultaneously, toxicity towards Vibrio fischeri was reduced and a decrease in phytotoxicity occurred. The ruthenium catalysts were found stable over a long period of operation in a trickle-bed reactor.The biodegradability of the oxidized waste has been enhanced and this study also examined the feasibility of coupling CWAO and an anaerobic digestion treatment. The pretreatment of the OMW in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst reduced considerably the total phenolic contents of the wastewater, and produced an effluent suitable to be treated by anaerobic treatment with increased biomethane production compared to the untreated effluent.     

Stable and efficient Ru/TiO2-ZrO2 catalysts for catalytic wet air oxidation of phenolsulfonic acid wastewater treatment

Catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) technology can efficiently treat organic wastewater, but the performance of existing catalysts, especially its stability, is far from industrial applications. In this study, ZrO₂ was used to modify TiO₂ support to form the stable Ru/TiO₂-ZrO₂ catalysts. It was found that the Ru/TiO₂-ZrO₂ catalysts showed excellent performance for catalytic wet air oxidation of phenolsulfonic acid wastewater. They gave high total organic carbon (TOC) conversions (>90%) and remained stable in 5 consecutive running in the Ti/Zr ratio range from 9∶1 to 7∶3. On the other hand, TOC conversion decreased from 99.1% to 65.3% in 5 consecutive cycles for the conventional Ru/TiO₂ catalyst. The characterization results of XRD, BET, XPS, H₂-TPR and ICP-OES indicated that ZrO₂ can enter the lattice of TiO₂ to form TiO₂-ZrO₂ solid solution, which prevented the transformation of TiO₂ from anatase to rutile. In addition, the modification of ZrO₂ strengthened the interaction between Ru and the support, which effectively inhibited the leaching of Ru metal. The stable support structure and good anti-loss performance are the main reasons for the excellent reaction performance of Ru/TiO₂-ZrO₂ catalyst.     

Evaluation of carbon monoxide oxidation over CeO2/Co3O4 catalysts: Effect of ceria loading

Modification of cobaltic oxide (obtained from the reduction of high-valence cobalt oxide and assigned as R230, S_BET = 100 m² g⁻¹) with different loading of ceria was proceeded using the impregnation method (assigned as CeX/R230, X = 4, 12, 20, 35 and 50 wt%). The CeX/R230 catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption at −196 °C, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Their catalytic activities towards the CO oxidation were studied in a continuous flow micro-reactor. The results revealed that the optimal modification, i.e., Ce20/R230, can increase the surface area (S_BET = 109 m² g⁻¹) of cobaltic oxide, further weaken the bond strength of CoO and lower the activation of CO oxidation among CeX/R230 catalysts due to the combined effect of cobaltic oxide and ceria. The Ce20/R230 catalyst exhibited the best catalytic activity in CO oxidation with T₅₀ (temperature for 50% CO conversion) at 88 °C.     

稳定高效Ru/TiO2-ZrO2催化剂处理苯酚磺酸废水

催化湿式氧化（CWAO）技术可高效处理有机废水,但现有催化剂的性能,尤其是其稳定性距工业应用还有很大差距。利用ZrO₂对TiO₂载体进行掺杂调变,研制出了具有良好稳定性的Ru/TiO₂-ZrO₂催化湿式氧化催化剂。结果表明, Ru/TiO₂催化剂在进行连续5次催化湿式氧化降解苯酚磺酸（phenolsulfonic acid,PSA）废水的反应后,总有机碳（total organic carbon,TOC）转化率由99.1%降低至65.3%;而Ru/TiO₂-ZrO₂催化剂在Ti/Zr质量比为9∶1~7∶3范围内,能表现出优良的反应性能,在连续5次反应后, TOC转化率稳定保持在90%以上。X射线仪衍射（XRD）、N₂吸脱附（BET）、X射线扫描微探针电子能谱仪（XPS）、氢气程序升温还原（H₂-TPR）和电感耦合等离子体发射光谱（ICP-OES）表征结果表明：ZrO₂能够进入TiO₂的晶格,TiO₂-ZrO₂固溶体的生成阻止了TiO₂由锐钛矿相向金红石相的转变。另外,ZrO₂的调变加强了Ru与载体的相互作用,有效抑制了活性金属Ru的流失。稳定的载体结构和良好的抗流失性能是Ru/TiO₂-ZrO₂催化剂具有优良反应性能的主要原因。