Characterization of bimetallic rhodium-germanium catalysts prepared by surface redox reaction

The preparation of bimetallic rhodium-germanium/silica and rhodium-germanium/alumina catalysts was investigated by controlled surface reaction. Their catalytic performances were measured for two gas phase reactions (toluene hydrogenation at 323 K and cyclohexane dehydrogenation at 543 K) and for a liquid phase reaction (citral hydrogenation at 343 K).

Elemental analysis of bimetallic catalysts showed that germanium can be deposited by redox reaction between hydrogen activated on a parent monometallic rhodium catalyst and germanium tetrachloride dissolved in water (catalytic reduction method). EDX microanalysis of rhodium-germanium/silica catalysts indicated that rhodium and germanium were deposited in close contact on the silica support. However, on alumina-supported catalysts, germanium deposition occurred also separately on the support. For the different test reactions, the catalytic properties of rhodium were strongly altered by the addition of germanium. On alumina-supported catalysts, interesting catalytic effects were observed in citral hydrogenation when not only close contact exists between both metals but when, in addition, the second metal was deposited on the support in the close vicinity of rhodium.     

NOx storage capacity,SO2 resistance and regeneration of Pt/(Ba)/CeZr model catalysts for NOx-trap system

NOx storage capacity, sulphur resistance and regeneration of 1wt%Pt/Ce_0.7Zr_0.3O₂ (Pt/CeZr) and 1wt%Pt/10wt%BaO/Ce_0.7Zr_0.3O₂ (Pt/Ba/CeZr) catalysts were studied and compared to a 1wt%Pt/10wt%BaO/Al₂O₃ (Pt/Ba/Al) model catalyst submitted to the same treatments. Pt/Ba/CeZr presents the best NOx storage capacity at 400 °C in accordance with basicity measurements by CO₂ TPD and Pt/CeZr shows the better performance at 200 °C mainly due to a low sensitivity to CO₂ at this temperature. For all samples, sulphating induces a detrimental effect on NOx storage capacity but regeneration at 550 °C under rich conditions generally leads to the total recovery of catalytic performance. However, the nearly complete sulphur elimination is only observed on Pt/CeZr. Moreover, an oxidizing treatment at 800 °C leads to partial sulphates elimination on the Pt/CeZr catalyst whereas a stabilization of sulphates on Ba containing species is observed.     

Characterisation by TPR, XRD and NOx Storage Capacity Measurements of the Ageing by Thermal Treatment and SO2 Poisoning of a Pt/Ba/Al NOx-Trap Model Catalyst

The deactivation of a Pt/Ba/Al₂O₃ NO _x -trap model catalyst submitted to SO₂ treatment and/or thermal ageing at 800 °C was studied by H₂ temperature programmed reduction (TPR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and NO _x storage capacity measurements.The X-ray diffractogram of the fresh sample exhibits peaks characteristic for barium carbonate. Thermal ageing leads to the decomposition of barium carbonate and to the formation of BaAl₂O₄. The TPR profile of the sulphated sample shows the presence of (i) surface aluminium sulphates, (ii) surface barium sulphates, (iii) bulk barium sulphates. The exposure to SO₂ after ageing leads to a small decrease of the surface barium-based sulphates, expected mainly as aluminate barium sulphates. This evolution can be attributed to a sintering of the storage material. TPR experiments also show that thermal treatment at 800 °C after the exposure to SO₂ involves the decomposition of aluminium surface sulphates to give mainly bulk barium sulphates, also pointed out by XRD. Thus, the thermal treatment at 800 °C leads to a stabilization of the sulphates.These results are in accordance with the NO _x storage capacity measurements. On non-sulphated catalysts, the treatment at 800 °C induces to a decrease of the NO _x storage capacity, showing that barium aluminate presents a lower NO _x storage capacity than barium carbonate. Sulphation strongly decreases the NO _x storage capacity of catalysts, whatever the initial thermal treatment, showing that barium sulphates inhibit the NO₂ adsorption. Moreover, the platinum activity for the NO to NO₂ oxidation is lowered by thermal treatments.     

Effect of chloride on sintering of Pt/Al2O3 catalysts

Reduced Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts with different chloride contents were treated at different temperatures under oxygen flow. TPR and TPD studies of oxidized species show that at low Cl/Pt atomic ratio (1) PtO₂ is formed at low temperature (400–500 K) and is totally decomposed (900 K) yielding reduced metallic Pt and inducing metal sintering. At high Cl/Pt atomic ratio (6) formation of stable (up to 1000 K) platinum oxichloride avoids metal sintering.     

Impact of support oxide and Ba loading on the NOx storage properties of Pt/Ba/support catalysts: CO2 and H2O effects

A series of 1 wt.%Pt/_xBa/Support (Support = Al₂O₃, SiO₂, Al₂O₃-5.5 wt.%SiO₂ and Ce_0.7Zr_0.3O₂, x = 5–30 wt.% BaO) catalysts was investigated regarding the influence of the support oxide on Ba properties for the rapid NO_x trapping (100 s). Catalysts were treated at 700 °C under wet oxidizing atmosphere. The nature of the support oxide and the Ba loading influenced the Pt–Ba proximity, the Ba dispersion and then the surface basicity of the catalysts estimated by CO₂-TPD. At high temperature (400 °C) in the absence of CO₂ and H₂O, the NO_x storage capacity increased with the catalyst basicity: Pt/20Ba/Si < Pt/20Ba/Al5.5Si < Pt/10Ba/Al < Pt/5Ba/CeZr < Pt/30Ba/Al5.5Si < Pt/20Ba/Al < Pt/10BaCeZr. Addition of CO₂ decreased catalyst performances. The inhibiting effect of CO₂ on the NO_x uptake increased generally with both the catalyst basicity and the storage temperature. Water negatively affected the NO_x storage capacity, this effect being higher on alumina containing catalysts than on ceria–zirconia samples. When both CO₂ and H₂O were present in the inlet gas, a cumulative effect was observed at low temperatures (200 °C and 300 °C) whereas mainly CO₂ was responsible for the loss of NO_x storage capacity at 400 °C. Finally, under realistic conditions (H₂O and CO₂) the Pt/20Ba/Al5.5Si catalyst showed the best performances for the rapid NO_x uptake in the 200–400 °C temperature range. It resulted mainly from: (i) enhanced dispersions of platinum and barium on the alumina–silica support, (ii) a high Pt–Ba proximity and (iii) a low basicity of the catalyst which limits the CO₂ competition for the storage sites.     

Characterisation by TPR,XRD and NO x storage capacity measurements of the ageing by thermal treatment and SO2 poisoning of a Pt/Ba/Al NO x -trap model catalyst

Topics in Catalysis - The deactivation of a Pt/Ba/Al2O3 NO x -trap model catalyst submitted to SO2 treatment and/or thermal ageing at 800&nbsp;°C was studied by H2 temperature programmed...     

Characterization and activity of Pt-Sn/Al2O3 catalysts of different preparation: coimpregnation and new Pt-Sn precursor

A new bimetallic Pt-Sn compound [Pt(NH₃)₄][SnCl₆] has been used as precursor for the preparation of supported Pt-Sn/Al₂O₃ catalysts. A comparison of a dried sample with that prepared by coimpregnation displays different behaviour in TPR, chemisorption. The initial catalytic activity properties were checked in the reactions of cyclohexane dehydrogenation and cyclopentane ring opening, whilen-hexane skeletal reactions were used to probe the quasisteady-state activity. The catalyst prepared via the Pt-Sn complex precursors exhibited some-what lower specific activity. This fact, together with enhanced olefin formation fromn-hexane was taken as an indication of lower amount of contiguous Pt atoms and some electronic interaction between Pt and Sn in that catalyst.On leave from Fachhochschule Ostfriesland, D-26723 Emden, Germany.     

Influence of Mn and Fe Addition on the NO x Storage–Reduction Properties and SO2 Poisoning of a Pt/Ba/Al2O3 Model Catalyst

This work deals with the effect of Mn or Fe addition on the NO _x storage–reduction properties of a Pt/Ba/Al₂O₃ model catalyst. NO _x storage capacity, SO₂ poisoning and regeneration and NO _x removal efficiency under rich/lean cycling conditions are studied. Fe addition to Pt/Ba/Al₂O₃ leads only to a small increase of NO _x storage capacity, and more interestingly, to a better sulfur removal due to the inhibition of bulk barium sulfate formation. Unfortunately, the NO _x storage property cannot be fully recovered. Moreover, Fe addition results in a decrease in the NO _x removal efficiency. Mn addition also improves the NO _x storage capacity, but no significant influence on the sulfur elimination is observed. Mn-doped catalyst does not improve the NO _x removal efficiency, but NH₃ selectivity is found to drastically decrease at 400 °C, from 20 to 3%. In addition, the NO _x conversion can be improved at higher H₂ concentration in the rich pulse, always keeping NH₃ selectivity at low level.     

A study of the deactivation by sulfur and regeneration of a model NSR Pt/Ba/Al2O3 catalyst

The deactivation by sulfur and regeneration of a model Pt/Ba/Al₂O₃ NO_x trap catalyst is studied by hydrogen temperature programmed reduction (TPR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and NO_x storage capacity measurements. The TPR profile of the sulfated catalyst in lean conditions at 400 °C reveals three main peaks corresponding to aluminum sulfates (550 °C), “surface” barium sulfates (650 °C) and “bulk” barium sulfates (750 °C). Platinum plays a role in the reduction of the two former types of sulfates while the reduction of “bulk” barium sulfates is not influenced by the metallic phase. The thermal treatment of the sulfated catalyst in oxidizing conditions until 800 °C leads to a stabilization of sulfates which become less reducible. Stable barium sulfides are formed during the regeneration under hydrogen at 800 °C. However, the presence of carbon dioxide and water in the rich mixture allows eliminating more or less sulfides and sulfates, depending on the temperature and time. The regeneration in the former mixture at 650 °C leads to the total recovery of the NO_x storage capacity even if “bulk” barium sulfates are still present on the catalyst.