Distinctive features of supported catalysts prepared from platinum carbonyl clusters

The formation of Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ and Pt/C catalysts from platinum carbonyl clusters H₂[Pt₃(CO)₆]_n (n = 2, 5) is studied. The strength of interaction between clusters (strong Lewis bases) and the support and the state of platinum in catalysts are governed by the acceptor strength of the support. The formation of a stable platinum compound with a surface of γ-Al₂O₃ (strong Lewis acid) is shown for a Pt/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst by the method of radial distribution functions. In a Pt/C catalyst containing the same amount of Pt supported on a carbon material known to be a weaker acceptor, metallic platinum is formed along with surface-bonded platinum. Proceeding from the existence of the active phase of catalysts in the form of a surface platinum complex and platinum crystallites, the properties of catalysts are discussed in the complete oxidation of methane and the dehydrogenation of cyclohexane, as well as the high dispersity of platinum and its thermal stability     

Transformation of n- hexane on PtAl/MCM-41 and PtAl/SBA-15

PtAl/MCM-41 and PtAl/SBA-15 materials were prepared by post-synthesis alumination followed by introduction of platinum by ion exchange. The samples were characterized by pyridine adsorption followed by FTIR and TPR of hydrogen. The catalytic behavior was explored in the transformation of n-hexane. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Cyclohexane transformations over metal oxide catalysts. 2. Selective cyclohexane ring opening to form n-hexane over mono- and bimetallic rhodium catalysts

The activity of monometallic Rh and Pt catalysts and bimetallic Pt—Rh catalysts on oxide supports in cyclohexane ring opening to form n-hexane was studied. The Rh-containing catalysts are highly active and selective in this reaction. Cyclohexane dehydrogenation predominates in the case of the Pt catalysts. The use of the bimetallic alumina-supported Pt—Rh catalysts allows one to minimize the contribution of cyclohexane cracking and to enhance the selectivity for n-hexane with the yield of the latter slightly depending on the metal ratio in the bimetallic system under the experimental conditions.     

Monomolecular endothermic reaction of n-decane catalyzed by HZSM-5 films

Summary This paper reports the possibility of in situ synthesis of HZSM-5 zeolites films on tubular steel substrate for the improved potential chemical heat sink of fuels, and the performance of prepared membrane catalysts in the endothermic, catalytic cracking of n-decane. Through hydrothermal crystallization, a zeolite / steel composite was obtained which consists of a continuous zeolite film that strongly attaches to the substrate surface. The membrane catalysts are active enough for the n-decane catalytic cracking to provide endothermal ability, and also can suppress the formation of carbon deposits compared with thermal cracking.     

Effect of tetrabutyltin on the acidity and reducibility of platinum-tin alumina supported sol-gel catalysts

Tin precursor effect in Pt−Sn/Al₂O₃ sol-gel catalysts has been studied. It is shown that catalysts prepared with tetrabutyltin allow a better reduction of platinum than catalysts prepared with tin tetrachloride and with tin tetra-tert-amyloxide. The solids prepared with tetrabutyltin are catalysts showing a high activity in isopropanol decomposition and cyclohexane dehydrogenation.     

A dynamic study of isomerization on MoOx catalyst

The dynamics of n-heptane isomerization on the reduced MoO₃ catalyst have been studied in a fixed bed flow reactor. In the reaction temperature ranging from 523 to 673 K, the apparent energy for n-heptane isomerization obtained from the Arrhenius plot was 49.3 kJ/mol. At 573 K, the reaction orders of 0.33 in n-heptane and 0.35 in H₂ have been obtained.     

Study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-hexane isomerization on Pt/SO<Subscript>4</Subscript>/ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalysts: Effect of the state of platinum on catalytic and adsorption properties

The state of surface Pt atoms in the Pt/SO₄/ZrO₂/Al₂O₃ catalyst and the effect of the state of platinum on its adsorption and catalytic properties in the reaction of n-hexane isomerization were studied. The Pt-X/Al₂O₃ alumina-platinum catalysts modified with various halogens (X = Br, Cl, and F) and their mechanical mixtures with the SO₄/ZrO₂/Al₂O₃ superacid catalyst were used in this study. With the use of IR spectroscopy (CO_ads), oxygen chemisorption, and oxygen-hydrogen titration, it was found that ionic platinum species were present on the reduced form of the catalysts. These species can adsorb to three hydrogen atoms per each surface platinum atom. The specific properties of ionic platinum manifested themselves in the formation of a hydride form of adsorbed hydrogen. It is believed that the catalytic activity and operational stability of the superacid system based on sulfated zirconium dioxide were due to the participation of ionic and metallic platinum in the activation of hydrogen for the reaction of n-hexane isomerization.     

Physicochemical properties of Ti-grafted SBA-15

Partial oxidation of n-heptane to syngas at 400–450°C was investigated over Rh and Rh-Ni based catalysts. The Rh/-Al₂O₃ catalyst exhibited much better catalytic activity than the Rh-Ni/-Al₂O₃ catalyst. A combination of the Rh-based catalyst with the WGS reaction catalyst (Fe₃O₄—Cr₂O₃) increases the hydrogen selectivity but has no distinct effect on shifting the balance of the partial oxidation of n-heptane.This revised version was published online in December 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A novel RP-HPLC refractive index detector method development and validation for determination of trace-level alcohols (un-sulfated) in sodium lauryl sulfate raw material

The main aim of the study is to develop and validate a simple and rapid liquid chromatographic analytical method for simultaneous determination of trace level of un-sulfated alcohol impurities in sodium lauryl sulfate using high-performance liquid chromatography with a refractive index detector. The chromatographic separation was achieved using flow rate of 3.0 ml/min with a Waters Symmetry C₁₈ (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column and 50°C as a column temperature. The mobile phase comprised milliQ water and acetonitrile in the ratio of 30:70 v/v respectively. The detection was performed using a refractive index detector at a sensitivity of 64. The resolutions among n-decanol, n-dodecanol, n-tetradecanol, n-hexadecanol, and n-heptadecanol were found to be >4. Regression analysis showed a correlation coefficient for the stated compounds of >0.999. The validated HPLC method was utilized effectively for the estimation of un-sulfated alcohols in quality control labs for commercial release of sodium lauryl sulfate.     

Microenvironment Effect on the Location Distribution of Phenothiazine in Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide/<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-Pentanol/H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O W/O and Bi-continuous Microemulsions

In cetyltrimethylammonium/n-pentanol/H₂O W/O (W/O = water in oil microemulsion) mixtures and bi-continuous microemulsions, phenothiazine (PTZ) molecules exist in the membrane phase of the dispersion either with the N atom or with the S atom pointed toward the polar head of cetyltrimethylammonium (CTAB). Cyclic voltammetry has been used to investigate the effects of the compositions and structures of the microemulsions, pH, and the salt on the location distribution of PTZ in the membrane phase of the dispersion in CTAB/n-C₅H₁₁OH/H₂O W/O and bi-continuous microemulsions. The results show that the location distribution of PTZ in the membrane phase of the dispersion in microemulsions is mainly dependent on the hydrogen bond between PTZ and n-C₅H₁₁OH (or the counterion), and on the electrostatic attractive interaction between the N atom in PTZ and the polar head of CTAB.     

Platinum nanoparticle size effect on specific catalytic activity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-alkane deep oxidation: Dependence on the chain length of the paraffin

The specific activity of 0.8% Pt/Al₂O₃ catalysts in the deep oxidation of C₁–C₆ n-alkanes increases with an increase in the Pt particle size from 1 to 3–4 nm. Further coarsening of the particles insignificantly changes the specific activity. The size effect was studied for a series of catalysts containing platinum nanoparticles 1 to 11 nm in diameter. The specific catalytic activity variation range depends on the size of the reacting hydrocarbon molecules. As the platinum particle size increases, the specific catalytic activity increases 3–4 times for the oxidation of CH₄ and C₂H₆ and by a factor of 20–30 for the oxidation of n-C₄H₁₀ and n-C₆H₁₄.     

Catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in alkaline solutions

Catalytic activity of carbon, platinum-supported on high-area carbon, platinum, lead ruthenate, and ruthenium oxide towards hydrogen peroxide decomposition in alkaline solution is investigated using the rotating disk electrode technique. The heterogeneous rate constant for peroxide decomposition on these catalysts is determined from the slope of log(i_L) versus time, where i_L is the diffusion-limiting current corresponding to the concentration of peroxide at a given time. The order of catalytic activity is found to be platinum>lead ruthenate>ruthenium oxide>carbon. A general reaction mechanism for the peroxide decomposition on these catalysts is also proposed.     

Catalysis of hydrosilylation: Part XXIV. H2PtCl6 in cyclohexanone as hydrosilylation catalyst—what is the active species in this catalytic system?

A cyclohexanone solution of H₂PtCl₆ was examined to find the catalytic species responsible for the hydrosilylation of the olefinic C=C bond. Similarly to other H₂PtCl₆–solvent systems (e.g. Speier's and Karstedt's catalysts), the real catalyst appeared to be colloidal platinum formed in situ by stepwise reduction [Pt(IV)→Pt(O)] and dechlorination of the platinum precursor. The role of cyclohexanone seems to be to form sufficiently stable platinum complexes to avoid rapid platinum precipitation and aggregation. The studies of H₂PtCl₆–solvent systems are of practical importance since these compounds are widely used catalyst precursors for hydrosilylation on an industrial scale.     

Identification of Catalytic Sites for Oxygen Reduction in Metal/Nitrogen-Doped Carbons with Encapsulated Metal Nanoparticles

The development of metal-N-C materials as efficient non-precious metal (NPM) catalysts for catalysing the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as alternatives to platinum is important for the practical use of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). However, metal-N-C materials have high structural heterogeneity. As a result of their high-temperature synthesis they often consist of metal-N_x sites and graphene-encapsulated metal nanoparticles. Thus it is hard to identify the active structure of metal-N-C catalysts. Herein, we report a low-temperature NH₄Cl-treatment to etch out graphene-encapsulated nanoparticles from metal-N-C catalysts without destruction of co-existing atomically dispersed metal-N_x sites. Catalytic activity is much enhanced by this selective removal of metallic nanoparticles. Accordingly, we can confirm the spectator role of graphene-encapsulated nanoparticles and the pivotal role of metal-N_x sites in the metal-N-C materials for ORR in the acidic medium.     

Synthesis,characterization, and catalytic activity in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-heptane conversion over Pt/In–Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> sol–gel prepared catalysts

Platinum catalysts supported on indium-doped alumina were prepared by the sol–gel method. The method allows the incorporation of In³⁺ in the alumina network. The indium-doped alumina supports showed narrow pore size distribution (5.4–4.0 nm) and high specific surface areas (258–280 m²/g). The ²⁷Al NMR-MAS spectroscopy identified aluminum in tetrahedral, pentahedral, and octahedral coordination; however, the intensity of the signal assigned to aluminum in pentahedral coordination diminishes with the increase of the content of indium. Total acidity determined by ammonia thermodesorption diminishes strongly in Pt/In–Al₂O₃ catalysts, suggesting a selective deposit of platinum over the acid sites of the support. The effect of the support in the platinum catalytic activity was evaluated in the n-heptane dehydrocyclization reaction. The selectivity patterns for such reaction were modified substantially in the doped Pt/In–Al₂O₃ catalysts, in comparison with the Pt-In/Al₂O₃–I coimpregnated reference catalyst. As an important result, the formation of benzene was suppressed totally over the indium-doped alumina sol–gel supports with a high content (3 wt%) of indium.     

Platinum electrocatalysts based on oxide supports for hydrogen and methanol fuel cells

Platinum electrocatalysts for fuel cells based on individual oxides Pt/SnO₂ and Pt/TiO₂ and their solid solutions Pt/Ti_1−x M _x O₂ (M = Ru, Nb) and Pt/Sn_1−x M′ _x O_2−δ(M′ = Sb, Ru) were prepared. The influence of the composition of the oxide supports on the activity of the supported platinum catalysts in electrooxidation of methanol and hydrogen in the presence of CO was studied. The prepared platinum catalysts supported on solid solutions of tin dioxide Sn_1−x M _x O_2−δ(M = Sb, Ru; x = 0.4−0.9) and Ti_1−x M _x O₂ (M = Ru, Nb; x = 0.7) exhibited higher tolerance to CO poisoning and higher activities for methanol electrooxidation than commercial Pt,Ru catalysts on carbon support. The use of the proposed oxide supported catalysts in hydrogen and direct methanol fuel cells improved their performances in comparison with that for the fuel cells with traditional Pt,Ru catalysts on carbon support.     

Kinetics and mechanism of oxygen electroreduction on PtCoCr/C catalyst containing 20–40 wt % platinum

It is shown that the mechanism of oxygen electroreduction on the PtCoCr/C systems in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ is similar to that proposed for the Pt/C catalyst. The activity of ternary catalysts is by two and more times higher than that of monoplatinum catalyst. The constant k ₁ is much larger than k ₂ (k ₁ and k ₂ are the rate constants of O₂ reduction to water and H₂O₂, respectively) for all catalysts studied. This indicates that the catalytic systems are selective with respect to O₂ reduction immediately to water in the practically important potential range from 1.0 to 0.6 V. The yield of H₂O₂ increases with a shift of potential in the cathodic direction (<0.7 V) and does not exceed 1%. The sum of rate constants of further conversion of hydrogen peroxide also increases with a shift of potential in the cathodic direction. After a corrosion attack (a treatment in the acid for 24 h), a ratio between the rate constants (k ₁/k ₂) for the PtCoCr/C catalysts increases. This is caused by a considerable increase in k ₁, which is 2.84 × 10⁻² cm/s for the catalyst containing 34 wt % Pt (against 1.5 × 10⁻² cm/s for the untreated catalyst). This can be explained by the reaction proceeding on the particle surface, which was enriched in platinum in the course of corrosion treatment. The properties of platinum clusters on the alloy surface differ from those of monoplatinum as a result of the ligand effect. The amount of oxygen chemisorbed from water on this surface is lower than on Pt/C catalyst. This is the main factor determining an increase in the activity and stability of ternary catalysts.     

n -Heptane oxidation over co3o4-ceo2 catalyst

The present study reports the catalytic behavior of Co₃O₄-CeO₂ in the oxidation of n-heptane. The results obtained showed that the catalyst give good activity in n-heptane oxidation with high selectivity to carbon dioxide. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Kinetics of Catalyst Poisoning during Capillary Condensation of Reactants

The influence of the capillary condensation of reactants on the poisoning of Pt/SiO₂ catalysts by thiophene is studied experimentally for p-xylene hydrogenation at T = 60 and 80°C. The poisoning kinetics is independent of a catalyst and its rate decreases with a decrease in temperature. Poisoning during capillary condensation is 1.5–6 times slower than that in the gas phase, depending on the fraction of surface platinum in the pores filled with a liquid. The poisoning of the catalyst active sites in the pores filled with a liquid requires less sulfur at the same deactivation degree. The number of sulfur atoms per one platinum atom necessary for the complete poisoning of platinum in the gas phase is higher than that in the case of capillary condensation by a factor of 1.4–1.5.     

A Universal and Facile Way for the Development of Superior Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Reactions Utilizing the Synergistic Effect

Increasing energy demands have stimulated intense research activities on reversible electrochemical conversion and storage systems with high efficiency, low cost, and environmental benignity. It is highly challenging but desirable to develop efficient bifunctional catalysts for both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). A universal and facile method for the development of bifunctional electrocatalysts with outstanding electrocatalytic activity for both the ORR and OER in alkaline medium is reported. A mixture of Pt/C catalyst with superior ORR activity and a perovskite oxide based catalyst with outstanding OER activity was employed in appropriate ratios, and prepared by simple ultrasonic mixing. Nanosized platinum particles with a wide range of platinum to oxide mass ratios was realized easily in this way. The as‐formed Pt/C–oxide composites showed better ORR activity than a single Pt/C catalyst and better OER activity than a single oxide to bring about much improved bifunctionality (ΔE is only ≈0.8 V for Pt/C–BSCF; BSCF=Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3?δ), due to the synergistic effect. The electronic transfer mechanism and the rate‐determining step and spillover mechanism were two possible origins of such a synergistic effect. Additionally, the phenomenon was found to be universal, although the best performance could be reached at different platinum to oxide mass ratios for different oxide catalysts. This work thus provides an innovative strategy for the development of new bifunctional electrocatalysts with wide application potentials in high‐energy and efficient electrochemical energy storage and conversion.