The size effect and high activity of nanosized platinum supported catalysts for low temperature oxidation of volatile organic compounds

Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts with smaller size of Pt nanoparticles were prepared by ethylene glycol reduction method in two different way and their oxidation activities for three typical VOCs (volatile organic compounds) were evaluated. The catalyst prepared by first adsorption and then reduction procedure is denoted as L-Pt/Al₂O₃ while the catalyst prepared by first reduction and then loading procedure is defined as R-Pt/Al₂O₃. The results show that L-Pt/Al₂O₃ with the stronger interaction between Pt species and Al₂O₃ exhibit smaller size of Pt nanoparticles and favorable thermal stability compared with R-Pt/Al₂O₃. L-Pt/Al₂O₃ is favor of the formation of more adsorbed oxygen species and more Pt²⁺ species, resulting in high catalytic activity for benzene and ethyl acetate oxidation. However, R-Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts with higher proportion of Pt⁰/Pt²⁺ and bigger size of Pt particles exhibits higher catalytic activity for n-hexane oxidation. Pt particles in R-Pt/Al₂O₃ were aggregated much more serious than that in L-Pt/Al₂O₃ at the same calcination temperature. The Pt particles supported on Al₂O₃ with~10 nm show the best catalytic activity for n-hexane oxidation.