Copper-cerium oxide catalysts for the selective oxidation of carbon monoxide in hydrogen-containing mixtures: I. Catalytic activity

A series of copper-cerium oxide catalysts were prepared, and their properties toward the reaction of CO oxidation in hydrogen-containing gas mixtures were studied. It was found that the copper-cerium oxide catalysts are stable, active, and selective in this reaction. The conditions under which these catalysts decreased the concentration of CO from 1 to <10^?3 vol % in hydrogen containing water vapor and carbon dioxide were determined.     

Exoemission accompanying electron interactions in complex copper-cerium oxide catalysts and synergism phenomena

The formation of the electronic structure of the surface of complex copper-cerium oxide catalysts with different copper concentrations was studied using the exoemission methods at different stages of preparation. The introduction of copper enhances the emissivity of CeO₂, and the number of charges emitted from the catalyst surface exceeds the emission activity of the starting CeO₂ and NuO components. The synergism phenomenon in exoemission is compared with synergism in the catalysis of CO oxidation by these systems. The problem of electron interactions between the components of the complex oxides is discussed. The electron interactions are caused by the electron transitions at the interface and result in an increase in both the emission of weakly bound electrons and catalytic activity in the oxidation of CO.     

Effect of the nature of the support for copper-cerium oxide catalysts on selective oxidation of CO in hydrogen-rich mixtures

We have studied the catalytic properties of copper-cerium oxide catalysts, supported on zirconium, aluminum, titanium, and manganese oxides, in the reaction of selective oxidation of CO in hydrogen-rich mixtures. We have shown that the high activity and selectivity of catalysts supported on zirconium and aluminum oxides is connected with the presence of (in addition to divalent copper) higher amounts of copper in the (+1) oxidation state in the catalysts. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 119–124, March–April, 2006.     

Reductive amination of cyclohexanol/cyclohexanone to cyclohexylamine using SBA-15 supported copper catalysts

Amination of cyclohexanol was investigated in vapour phase over copper catalysts supported on mesoporous SBA-15. The different products identified during reductive amination of cyclohexanol reaction were cyclohexanone, cyclohexylamine, along with small amounts of N-Cyclohexylidinecyclohexylamine and dicyclohexylamine. Among several catalysts tested for the reductive amination, 5% Cu supported on SBA-15 exhibited better catalytic performance than other catalysts with 36% selectivity towards cylclohexylamine at 80% cyclohexanol conversion. The optimum reaction conditions employed to achieve the best catalyst performance were at 250 °C, 0.1 MPa of H₂/NH₃, TOS-10h. The active Cu sites, acidity of the catalyst, and effect of reaction parameters play a pivotal role in the reductive amination reaction. The prepared catalysts were characterized by XRD, BET, SEM, H₂-TPR and NH₃-TPD. The dispersion of Cu, particle size, and metal surface area (m²/g) calculated from pulse N₂O decomposition method. TPR findings reveal the presence of substantially dispersed copper oxide species at lower loadings which is easily reducible than the bulk copper oxide species found at higher Cu loadings. The acidity measurements by NH₃-TPD analysis suggest that the maximum acidic strength was obtained at 5 wt% copper on porous SBA-15, and decreased with Cu loadings. The catalytic properties are well in agreement with the findings of catalysts characterization.     

Evolution of Cu-Zn-Si oxide catalysts in the course of reduction and reoxidation as studied by in situ X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and magnetic susceptibility methods

The reduced and reoxidized Cu-Zn-Si oxide catalysts as layered copper-zinc hydroxo silicates with the zincsilite structure were studied using in situ and ex situ X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and the temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility. The catalysts were prepared by homogeneous deposition-precipitation. It was found that Cu⁰ particles were formed on the surface of a layered hydrosilicate with the zincsilite structure upon reduction with hydrogen. The reoxidation of the reduced samples with a mixture of oxygen and an inert gas, which contained no more than 0.05 vol % O₂, resulted in the formation of individual Cu₂O and CuO phases; copper ions did not return to the hydrosilicate structure. Catalytic tests of Cu-Zn-Si catalysts in methanol synthesis indicate that the specific catalytic activity of copper metal particles grows linearly with increasing zinc loading. This fact suggests that copper metal particles, which were obtained by the reduction of Cu²⁺ ions from the copper-zinc hydroxo silicate with the zincsilite structure, were responsible for activity in methanol synthesis. Consequently, the ability to return copper ions to a precursor compound in reoxidation with oxygen at low concentrations, which is known for reduced Cu/ZnO catalysts (these catalysts are highly active in methanol synthesis), is not related to the catalytic activity in methanol synthesis.     

State of the copper ions in the catalysts for oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide

The state of the copper ions in the catalysts for the oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, prepared by dissolving an activated copper-containing aluminum alloy in water followed by calcination (method A) and by impregnation of the support produced by dissolving activated aluminum in water with copper nitrate solution (method B), was investigated by diffuse reflection electronic spectroscopy. It was established that the catalysts contain Cu ²⁺ ions stabilized in fields of octahedral symmetry. The concentration of these ions depends on the method of synthesis of the catalyst, its copper content, and the pretreatment temperature. It is higher in the samples produced by impregnation than in the samples produced by fusion; increase in the amount of copper leads to a decrease while increase in the calcination temperature leads to an increase in the concentration of the above-mentioned ions. Treatment of the oxide systems with the reaction mixture does not affect the state and concentration of Cu ²⁺. The catalytic activity of the samples depends on the method of preparation and increases with decrease in the amount of Cu ²⁺ (O_h) and with increase in the content of the CuO phase in the system.N. D. Zelinskii Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117913. Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 786–790, April, 1992.     

Copper-cerium oxide catalysts prepared by the Pechini method for CO removal from hydrogen-containing mixtures

A series of copper-cerium oxide catalysts was prepared by the Pechini method, and their physicochemical and catalytic properties in CO oxidation in hydrogen-containing gas mixtures were studied. The method chosen for catalyst preparation yields finely dispersed copper and cerium oxides in the catalyst.     

Textural,structural and catalytic behavior of low specific area silica-supported copper catalysts: effect of preparation method

Supported copper catalysts on low surface area silica were prepared by several methods and characterized by AAS, XRD, N₂ adsorption, SEM, H₂-TPR, N₂O titration, TGA-DTA, UV–Vis techniques. Their hydrogenating properties were examined in the gas-phase hydrogenation of benzaldehyde. The analysis of characterization results revealed that the choice of preparation method affected the texture, composition, and structure of the calcined and reduced Cu/SiO₂ catalysts. The dispersion and size distribution of copper species was present in different forms in the catalysts that exhibited low specific surface areas. In gas-phase hydrogenation of benzaldehyde to benzyl alcohol, the catalysts tested at the reaction temperatures of 160 and 200 °C were stable and conducted to a good catalytic activity and benzyl alcohol selectivity ranging between 5 and 39 µmol min^?1 g^?1 and 0–95%, respectively. The activity of the catalysts in gas-phase hydrogenation also depended on the particle size and the nature of copper species formed on low surface area silica.     

Study of the local structure of supported nanostructural platinum catalysts

The possibility of controlling the state of platinum deposited on the support surface via minor changes in the catalyst preparation procedure is demonstrated using a series of highly dispersed Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ catalysts with different particle size of the active component. Dispersity, local structure and electronic state of supported platinum were examined by a combination of high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS/XANES). It was shown that various platinum species can be obtained on the surface of the support: bulk or surface Pt(II) or Pt(IV) oxides, mixed metal-oxide structures, bulk particles of metallic platinum, and two-dimensional surface Pt⁰ particles strongly interacting with the support.     

固相浸渍法和湿浸渍法制备CuO/CeO2催化剂及其CO氧化性能的对比研究

采用固相浸渍法和常规湿浸渍法制备了一系列CuO/CeO₂催化剂,并结合X射线衍射（XRD）、氢气-程序升温还原（H₂-TPR）、激光拉曼光谱（LRS）、原位漫反射红外光谱（in situ DRIFTS）、X射线光电子能谱（XPS）等手段考察了制备方法对催化剂结构性质及其在CO氧化反应中性能的影响. XPS和H₂-TPR结果表明,固相浸渍法更有利于得到高分散的铜物种,并促进CuO物种的还原. LRS结果表明,相比于湿浸渍法,固相浸渍法能产生更多氧空位,而这些氧空位可以活化参与反应的O₂. CO氧化活性测试结果表明,当铜负载量相同时,固相浸渍法制备的催化剂相比于湿浸渍法表现出更好的催化性能. 结合多种表征结果发现,催化剂CO氧化性能与其表面氧空位和Cu⁺-CO浓度紧密相关,提出了CuO/CeO₂催化剂在CO氧化反应中可能的协同作用机制.     

Methodical aspects in the surface analysis of supported molybdena catalysts

Supported molybdena catalysts, with TiO₂, CeO₂ and Al₂O₃ supports, were studied by XPS and ISS. It was found that reliable results are obtained only when samples are calcined and transferred into the ultrahigh vacuum system without further contact with the ambient atmosphere (‘in situ calcination’). This applies also to catalysts that were previously calcined but had been stored in the ambient atmosphere. Supported Mo oxide becomes reduced under x‐ray irradiation during extended XPS data acquisition. A slight decrease of the Mo/support cation intensity ratio as a consequence of this reduction was detected by ISS in MoO₃/TiO₂ and MoO₃/CeO₂, therefore ISS analysis should be performed on freshly calcined samples without prior extended exposure to x‐rays. Because ISS spectra change rapidly due to sputtering, a correct analysis of the surface properties of the supported Mo catalyst requires extrapolation of the trend to the start of the experiment. It was established by this methodology that the surface of a 7% MoO₃/TiO₂ catalyst (5.3 Mo nm^?2) is completely covered by a monolayer of Mo oxide species, and no Ti cation is exposed. In a submonolayer MoO₃/CeO₂ catalyst the exposed support could be detected, as expected, whereas in an MoO₃/Al₂O₃ catalyst with an Mo oxide loading equal to the monolayer coverage a slight exposure of the Al support cation also was noted probably because of the high curvature of the smaller Al₂O₃ particles. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Catalytic performance and structural characterization of ferric oxide and its composite oxides supported gold catalysts for low-temperature CO oxidation

The preparation and catalytic activity of ferric oxide and its composite oxides supported gold catalysts for low-temperature CO oxidation were investigated detailedly, and characterized extensively by XRD, XPS, TPR, EC and XAFS techniques. It was found that containing highly dispersed Au of partially oxidized state, these nano-structured oxides supported Au/Fe2O3 and Au/NiFe2O4 catalysts had higher low-temperature activities. The possible catalytic active center is the gold of partially oxidized state (Auζ+).     

Study of nano‐Cu/SiO2 catalysts for highly selective hydrogenation of acetophenone

Hydrogenation of acetophenone over nano‐Cu/SiO₂ catalysts was investigated. The catalysts, prepared by a liquid precipitation method using various precipitating agents, were characterized using low‐temperature nitrogen adsorption, X‐ray diffraction, temperature‐programmed desorption of ammonia, hydrogen temperature‐programmed reduction, transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the catalysts prepared by a homogeneous precipitation method had better activity and stability than those prepared by a co‐precipitation method. The catalyst prepared using urea as precipitating agent had well‐dispersed copper species, high surface area and abundant pore structure. The catalytic performance and mechanism of the Cu/SiO₂ catalysts were further studied. It was found that the activity and stability of the catalysts could be improved by adjusting the proportion of Cu⁺/(Cu⁺ + Cu⁰). The sample prepared using urea as precipitating agent presented higher activity and selectivity. Also, the catalyst prepared using urea maintained a high catalytic performance while being continuously used for 150 h under the optimal reaction conditions.     

Nickel catalysts based on porous nickel for methane steam reforming

The influence of synthesis conditions on the phase composition and texture of porous nickel supports as plates with a magnesium oxide underlayer were investigated by X-ray diffraction, low-temperature nitrogen absorption, and electron microscopy combined with X-ray microanalysis. Nickel catalysts supported on these plates were studied. Thermal treatment of Mg(NO₃)₂ in nitrogen yields a magnesium oxide underlayer with a small specific surface area (support I). The replacement of nitrogen with hydrogen leads to a larger surface area (support II). The formation of MgO is accompanied by the incorporation of Ni²⁺ cations from the oxide film into the underlayer. Upon subsequent reduction with hydrogen or under the action of the reaction medium, these cations form fine crystallites of nickel. The supports having an oxide underlayer show a higher activity in methane steam reforming than the initial metallic nickel. Nickel catalysts on supports I and II show similar activities. The activity of the catalysts was stable throughout 50-h-long tests; no carbon deposits were detected by TEM.     

XPS and ISS analysis of Fischer-Tropsch catalysts

Summary The surface compositions of K and Cu containing Fe/Mn oxide catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis were investigated by XPS and ISS. The surface species after calcination are identified as Fe₂O₃, Mn₂O₃, MnO₂, CuO and most likely KO₂, and after in situ reduction at 723 K Fe⁰, Cu⁰, Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ oxides, MnO and KOH. Mn and K are enriched on the surfaces after calcination and reduction; the Cu surface content is approximately equal to the bulk concentration. The K enrichment is especially strong and ISS indicates that potassium is mainly confined to the uppermost layers. The degree of reduction of Fe is strongly dependent on the amount of Cu or K. The change in surface composition during Fischer-Tropsch reaction in the XPS equipment can be correlated to the activity of the catalysts. The pure and Cu containing samples show a constant activity and only a small increase in carbon surface concentration. The K containing catalysts deactivate after a short time and are then totally covered by carbon. On all catalyst surfaces a small amount of carbonate is formed.

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XPS- and ISS-Analyse von Fischer-Tropsch-Katalysatoren

     

Combustion of methane over supported palladium-copper bimetallic catalysts

Monometallic and bimetallic catalysts based on palladium and copper deposited on a spinel carrier have been investigated in the catalytic combustion of methane. Great differences were found in catalytic activity, according to the sequence Pd/MgAl₂O₄>CuO–Pd/MgAl₂O₄>Pd–CuO/MgAl₂O₄>CuO/MgAl₂O₄. They were explained by changes in surface composition of the catalysts. In the case of bimetallic catalysts the metallic surface is preferentially enriched in copper, which acts as a diluting agent for the Pd atom ensembles. As a consequence, the adsorption of reactants is limited and the catalysts so obtained behave like copper slightly doped with palladium.     

High performance CuO-CeO2 catalysts for selective oxidation of CO in excess hydrogen： Effect of hydrothermal preparation conditions

High performance CuO-CeO₂ catalysts for selective oxidation of CO in excess hydrogen were prepared by a hydrothermal method under different preparation conditions and evaluated for catalytic activities and selectivities. By changing the n_CTAB/n_Ce ratio and hydrothermal aging time, the catalytic activity of the CuO-CeO₂ catalysts increased and the operating temperature window, in which the CO conversion was higher than 99%, was widened. XRD results showed no peaks of CuO_x species and Cu-Ce-O solid solution were observed. On the other hand, Cu⁺ species in the CuO-CeO₂ catalysts, which was associated with a strong interaction between copper oxide clusters and cerium oxide and could be favorable for improving the selective oxidation performance of CO in excess H₂, were detected by H₂-TPR and XPS techniques.     

ORTHO-selective phenol methylation over iron-magnesium oxide catalysts

Alkylation of phenol to ORTHO-cresol and 2,6-xylenol with methanol in the presence of iron and iron-magnesium oxide catalysts was investigated. The catalysts displayed high activity and stability. Addition of magnesium oxide to the iron catalyst increases its selectivity towards C-alkylation in ortho-position. It was found that the active phase in the investigated catalysts is highly dispersed magnetite or mixed spinel of Fe(MgFe)O₄ type. It is noticed that if Fe⁺² ions are replaced by Mg⁺² ions in the spinel the basicity of the bifunctional catalyst is augmented, increasing ortho-selectivity of alkylation.     

Synthesis of vanadium-phosphorus oxide catalysts supported on pyrogenic silica and titanium dioxide

Various methods for the preparation of vanadium-phosphorus oxide (VPO) catalysts supported on aerosils A-300 and A-50 and TiO₂ were studied: a traditional method (in an organic solvent under varying the support addition time, the nature of the reducing agent, and the degree of reduction of vanadium oxide) and barothermal and mechanochemical syntheses. With the use of XRD analysis, it was found that the composition of the resulting VPO phase depends on the time of support addition to the synthesis and the temperature of thermal treatment. Conditions for the formation of a supported phase of VOHPO₄·0.5H₂O, the precursor of the active component (VO)₂P₂O₇, were determined. The presence of vanadium in an oxidation state of +4 was demonstrated using EPR and UV-VIS spectroscopy. The specific surface areas and pore structures of the synthesized catalysts were determined. The catalytic properties of samples in the reactions of n-butane oxidation in an excess of the hydrocarbon and oxidative ethane dehydrogenation were studied. It was found that, as compared with traditional bulk VPO catalysts, the use of the synthesized supported VPO catalysts made it possible to improve the process characteristics of n-butane oxidation and did not change these characteristics in the reaction of oxidative ethane dehydrogenation.     

Spherical Al-MCM-41 Doped with Copper by Modified TIE Method as Effective Catalyst for Low-Temperature NH3-SCR

Aluminum containing silica spherical MCM-41 was synthesized and modified with copper by the template ion-exchange method (TIE) and its modified version, including treatment of the samples with ammonia solution directly after template ion-exchange (TIE-NH₃). The obtained samples were characterized with respect to their chemical composition (ICP-OES), structure (XRD), texture (low temperature N₂ sorption), morphology (SEM-EDS), form and aggregation of deposited copper species (UV-vis DRS), reducibility of copper species (H₂-TPR), and surface acidity (NH₃-TPD). The deposition of copper by the TIE-NH₃ method resulted in much better dispersion of this metal on the MCM-41 surface comparing to copper introduced by TIE method. It was shown that such highly dispersed copper species, mainly monomeric Cu²⁺ cations, deposited on aluminum containing silica spheres of MCM-41, are significantly more catalytically effective in the NH₃-SCR process than analogous catalysts containing aggregated copper oxide species. The catalysts obtained by the TIE-NH₃ method effectively operated in much broader temperature and were less active in the side process of direct ammonia oxidation by oxygen.