Initiation behaviour in hydrogenation of pyrolysis gasoline over presulphided Ni-Mo-Zn/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalyst

A presulphided treatment was applied to the oxidic Ni-Mo-Zn/Al₂O₃ catalyst (nickel catalyst) in order to avoid thermal run-away during initiation of the hydrogenation of pyrolysis gasoline. The physico-chemical properties of the prepared oxidic nickel catalyst, the reduced and passivated (RP) nickel catalyst and the sulphided (RPS) nickel catalyst were characterised using N₂ adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The TPR results showed that the reducibility of the RP Ni-Mo-Zn/Al₂O₃ catalyst was improved over the oxidic nickel catalyst. The XPS spectra confirmed the binding energy of the RPS nickel catalyst to be higher than that of the oxidic nickel catalyst. The catalytic performance was evaluated on a fixed-bed reactor (reaction temperature between 30 °C and 70°C, at 2.8 MPa of total pressure and weight hourly space velocity of 2.0 h^?1, the volume of H₂/pyrogasoline = 200: 1). The rising temperature of the RPS nickel catalyst was almost 20°C lower than that of the oxidic nickel catalyst during the initial stage of the hydrogenation reaction. The results indicated that the RPS nickel catalyst exhibited better stability than the oxidic nickel catalyst during the start-up period, thereby providing a better selectivity in long-term operation.     

Kinetic studies on the hydrogenation of nitrate in water using Rh/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and Rh-Cu/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalysts

Liquid-phase reduction NO ₃ ⁻ using monometallic and bimetallic catalysts (5% Rh/Al₂O₃, 5% Rh-0.5% Cu/Al₂O₃, 5% Rh-1.5% Cu/Al₂O₃, 5% Rh-5% Cu/Al₂O₃ and a physical mixture of 5% Rh/Al₂O₃ and 1.5% Cu/Al₂O₃) was studied in a slurry reactor operating at atmospheric pressure. Kinetic measurements were performed for a low concentration of nitrate (0.4 × 10⁻³−3.2 × 10⁻³ mol dm⁻³) and the temperature range 293–313 K. From the experimental data, it was found that the reduction of nitrate is first order with respect to nitrate. On the basis of the rate constants, the apparent activation energy was established using a graphic method. Published in Russian in Kinetika i Kataliz, 2007, Vol. 48, No. 6, pp. 881–886. This article was submitted by the authors in English.     

Liquid phase selective hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanone over Ru/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> nanocatalyst under mild conditions

Highly monodispersed ruthenium nanoparticles were prepared via wet impregnation technique using RuCl₃ · nH₂O as a precursor. Ru nanoparticles were supported on Al₂O₃ to synthesize Ru nanocatalyst. The nanocatalyst was characterized by various techniques like XRD, SEM, TEM and BET analysis. The catalyst was used for hydrogenation of phenol under mild condition. The activity of the catalyst was checked by varying different parameters such as reaction temperature, time, H₂ partial pressure, metal loading and catalyst amount. The catalyst was recovered from product and reused up to four times without significant loss in its catalytic activity. After a reaction time of 1 h, Ru/Al₂O₃ nanocatalyst showed high reactivity (82% conversion) and selectivity to cyclohexanone (67%) at 80°C and 20 bar hydrogen pressure.     

A comparative study of Ir/Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>, Pt/Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>, and Ru/Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalysts in selective hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde

Catalytic performance of gallia-supported iridium catalysts in the reaction of selective hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde in the gas phase was studied and compared to that of platinum and ruthenium catalysts. The best catalytic properties in terms of the selectivity to crotyl alcohol are shown by 5 wt % Pt/α-Ga₂O₃ and 5 wt % Ir/α-Ga₂O₃ catalysts prepared from nonchlorine precursors: Pt(acac)₂ and Ir(acac)₃, but for the 5 wt % Pt/α-Ga₂O₃ a very high selectivity of 75% at the high conversion (ca. 60%) is observed. A high selectivity of galia-supported iridium and platinum catalysts was explained by the surface reducibility of gallium oxide leading to covering (decoration) of platinum and iridium by gallium suboxides and the promoting effect of gallium.     

Laser assisted selective chemical metalization of Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> films

Thick aluminum oxide films are prepared on Al plates by anodizing. On the ceramic surface thus obtained a very thin Ag film is deposited via vacuum thermal evaporation. The Ag/Al₂O₃/Al samples prepared are irradiated by Nd:YAG laser through a suitable metal mask in order to remove the top metal film in the exposed areas. Thus, a negative silver image of the copied mask is obtained. Further, the samples are processed in Ni electroless chemical bath activated by the rest of silver. All processing steps are studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). EDS X-ray mapping is applied to study the final distribution of Al and Ni in the processed areas. In addition, the DC conductivity of the fabricated Ni wires obtained is measured. The proposed new method for selective chemical deposition of electroconductive Ni onto laser microstructured Ag/Al₂O₃/Al samples is simple, versatile and not restricted to the metal/ceramic system studied as well as to the electroless deposited metal.     

Composition of the gas phase over Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and the enthalpies of atomization of AlO,Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O,and Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The A1, O, AlO, A1₂O, Al₂O₂, WO₂, and WO₃, partial pressures in the vapor over Al₂O₃ in a tungsten Knudsen effusion cell between 2300 and 2600 K were derived from A1⁺, O⁺, AlO⁺, A1₂O⁺, Al₂O₂⁺, WO₂⁺, and WO₃⁺, ion intensities. The mass spectrometer was calibrated against the equilibrium constant of the WO₃(g) = WO₂(g) + O(g) reaction. Refined values of the ionization cross sections of AlO and A1₂O₂ were used in the partial pressure calculations. The enthalpies of atomization of aluminum suboxides were determined to be Δ_at H ^o(AlO, g, 0) = 510.7 ± 3.3 kJ mol⁻¹, Δ_at H ^o(Al₂O, g, 0) = 1067.2 ± 6.9 kJ mol⁻¹, and Δ_at H ^o(Al₂O₂, g, 0) = 1556.7 ± 9.9 kJ mol⁻¹.     

Co-Mo/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> and Ni-W/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalysts: Potential and prospects for use in hydrotreating of light cycle oil from catalytic cracking

Со-Мо/Al₂O₃ and Ni-W/Al₂O₃ catalysts were tested in hydrotreating of light cycle oil from catalytic cracking, of the straight-run gasoil, and of their mixture under typical hydrotreating conditions used in industry. The catalysts prepared using PMo₁₂ and PW₁₂ heteropoly acids exhibit high catalytic activity. The Со-Мо/Al₂O₃ catalyst is more active in hydrodesulfurization and hydrogenation of olefin and diene hydrocarbons, whereas the Ni-W/Al₂O₃ catalysts are more active in hydrogenation of mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Comparison of the quality characteristics of the hydrogenizates obtained with the requirements of the technical regulations shows that the required levels of the sulfur content and cetane number of the hydrogenizates at practically accessible process parameters can be reached for mixtures of the straight-run gasoil and light cycle oil from catalytic cracking with high content of the latter component only when the process with the Со-Мо/Al₂O₃ system and Ni-W/Al₂O₃ catalysts is performed in two steps.     

Laws of selective CO oxidation over a Ru/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalyst in the surface ignition regime: II. Transition states

The kinetics of selective CO oxidation (or individual CO or H₂ oxidation) over ruthenium catalysts are considerably as affected by the heat released by the reaction and specifics of the interaction of ruthenium with feed oxygen. In a reactor with reduced heat removal (a quartz reactor) under loads of ∼701 g_Cat⁻¹ h⁻¹ and reagent percentages of ∼1 vol % CO, ∼1 vol % O₂, ∼60 vol % H₂, and N₂ to the balance, the reaction can be carried out in the catalyst surface ignition regime. When catalyst temperatures are below ∼200°C, feed oxygen deactivates metallic ruthenium, the degree of deactivation being a function of temperature and treatment time. Accordingly, depending on the parameters of the experiment and the properties of the ruthenium catalyst, various scenarios of the behavior of the catalyst in selective CO oxidation are realized, including both steady and transition states: in a non-isothermal regime, a slow deactivation of the catalyst accompanied by a travel of the reaction zone through the catalyst bed along the reagent flow; activation of the catalyst; or the oscillation regime. The results of this study demonstrate that, for a strongly exothermic reaction (selective CO oxidation, or CO, or H₂ oxidation) occurring inside the catalyst bed, the specifics of the entrance of the reaction into the surface ignition regime and the effects of feed components on the catalyst activity should be taken into account.     

Changes in the heat capacity of Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-Cr<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> solid solutions near the point of antiferromagnetic phase transition in Cr<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>

Al₂O₃-Cr₂O₃ solid solutions with 0, 4, 7, 10 and 20 mol% of corundum were synthesized using a high-pressure/high-temperature apparatus and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction. Calorimetric measurements were carried out using DSC-111 (Setaram). Heat capacity was measured by the enthalpy method in a temperature range of 260–340 K, near magnetic phase transition in pure Cr₂O₃ (305 K). Magnetic contribution into the heat capacity was derived and found to change irregularly with the composition.     

Studies on the synthesis of higher alcohol over modified Cu/ZnO/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalyst

Higher alcohol has been considered as a potential fuel additive. Higher alcohol, including C₂–C₄ alcohol was synthesized by catalytic conversion of syngas (with a ratio of CO/H₂?=?1) derived from natural gas over modified Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalyst. Modified Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalysts promoted by alkali metal (Li) for higher alcohol synthesis (HAS) were prepared at different pH (6, 6.5, 7, 8, and 9) by co-precipitation to control Cu surface area and characterized by N₂ physisorption, XRD, SEM, H₂-TPR and TPD. The HAS reaction was carried out under a pressure of 45 bar, GHSV of 4000 h^?1, ratio of H₂/CO?=?1, and temperature ranges of 240 and 280 °C. It was found that the malachite phase of copper causes the size of copper to be small, which is suitable for methanol synthesis. Methanol and HAS share a common catalytic active site and intermediate. It was also found that the productivity to higher alcohol was correlated with Cu surface area.     

Preparation of Pd/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>@silicalite-1 core-shell beads and their application to hydrogenation reactions

Core-shell composite beads comprising a Pd-loaded Al₂O₃ core and a shell of inter-grown silicalite-1 (siliceous ZSM-5) crystals were synthesised. The incompatibility between the Pd/Al₂O₃ core and the zeolite shell was circumvented by a layer-by-layer self-assembly of polyelectrolyte to adsorb nanosized silicalite-1 seeds onto the core surface, followed by a secondary solvo-thermal treatment to form the continuous and well-intergrown silicalite-1 shell. The thickness of the outer zeolite shell could be tuned by monitoring the secondary growth time. When employed as catalyst for the hydrogenation reaction of alkenes to explore its full potential use, the Pd/Al₂O₃@silicalite-1 core-shell catalyst exhibited excellent size-selectivity, poison-resistance and leaching-proof properties. Such a catalyst@zeolite core-shell structure is expected to find promising applications in heterogeneous catalysis and adsorption.     

Competitive adsorption in the system: carboxymethylcellulose/surfactant/electrolyte/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The adsorption of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) in the presence or absence of the surfactants: anionic SDS, nonionic Triton X-100 and their mixture SDS/TX-100 from the electrolyte solutions (NaCl, CaCl₂) on the alumina surface (Al₂O₃) was studied. In each measured system the increase of CMC adsorption in the presence of surfactants was observed. This increase was the smallest in the presence of SDS, a bit larger in the presence of Triton X-100 and the largest when the mixture of SDS/Triton X-100 was used. These results are a consequence of formation of complexes between the CMC and the surfactant particles. Moreover, the dependence between the amount of surfactants’ adsorption and the CMC initial concentration was measured. It comes out that the surfactants’ adsorption amount is not dependent on the CMC initial concentration and moreover, it is unchanged in the whole measured concentration range. The influence of kind of electrolyte, its ionic strength as well as pH of a solution on the amount of the CMC adsorption at alumina surface was also measured. The amount of CMC adsorption is larger in the presence of NaCl than in the presence of CaCl₂ as the background electrolyte. It is a result of the complexation reaction between Ca²⁺ ions and the functional groups of CMC belonging to the same macromolecule. As far as the electrolyte ionic strength is concerned the increase of CMC adsorption amount accompanying the increase of electrolyte ionic strength is observed. The reason for that is the ability of electrolyte cations to screen every electrostatic repulsion in the adsorption system. Another observation is that the increase of pH caused the decrease of CMC adsorption. The explanation of this phenomenon is connected with the influence of pH on both dissociation degree of polyelectrolyte and kind and concentration of surface active groups of the adsorbent.     

Investigation of macro-/mesoporous Re<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>7</Subscript>/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalysts prepared by a particle-template method for butylene metathesis

Macro-/mesoporous Al₂O₃ supports were prepared by using monodisperse polystyrene (PS) microspheres as a template. The pore volume and BET surface area of the Al₂O₃ supports increased considerably with increasing amounts of the PS microspheres; further investigation showed that PS template only increased the volume of macro-pores but did not change the volume of meso-pores or micro-pores. Macro-/mesoporous Re₂O₇/Al₂O₃ metathesis catalysts were prepared through loading Re₂O₇ onto the as-prepared macro-/mesoporous Al₂O₃ supports, and their catalytic performance was tested in a fixed-bed tubular reactor using the metathesis of normal butylenes as a probe reaction. The results showed that the prepared macro-/mesoporous Re₂O₇/Al₂O₃ catalyst had high activity with consistent selectivity; propylene and pentene accounted for more than 90 wt% of the metathesis products, while the amount of ethylene plus hexane was less than 10 wt%, the majority of which was hexane. These Re₂O₇/Al₂O₃ catalysts had not only higher activity, but also longer working life span and higher tolerance to carbon residues than conventional Re₂O₇/Al₂O₃ catalysts.     

No-Glycerol rapid heterogeneous biodiesel production on K<Subscript>2</Subscript>CO<Subscript>3</Subscript>/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalyst by coupling process

Biodiesel containing almost no glycerol has been produced by coupling reaction carried out over K₂CO₃ supported by calcium oxide as solid base catalysts. The solid base catalysts synthesized by wet impregnation exhibit an exceedingly high activity in biodiesel production. It was found that the reaction time required for the highest yield of biodiesel, 99.2%, can be shortened to 30 min over K₂CO₃/Al₂O₃ under the optimum reaction conditions: 8: 1: 1 molar ratio of methanol/DMC/oil, 30 wt % K₂CO₃/Al₂O₃ catalyst, and 65°C reaction temperature. Solid basic catalysts examined in the study were characterized by BET surface area, XRD, CO₂-TPD, and SEM techniques. The strong interaction between K₂CO₃ and the support yields a new basic active site, which can be probably responsible for the high activity of K₂CO₃/Al₂O₃.     

Kinetics and mechanism of carbon monoxide oxidation on the supported metal complex catalyst PdCl<Subscript>2</Subscript>-CuCl<Subscript>2</Subscript>/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>

The kinetics of carbon monoxide oxidation with atmospheric oxygen on a PdCl₂-CuCl₂/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst was studied at T = 27°C and an N₂-O₂-CO mixture pressure of 1 atm. The catalyst was prepared by cold impregnation. Three groups of mechanistic hypotheses are considered, and two of them are demonstrated to be consistent with kinetic data, although they differ in the roles of water and oxygen in carbon monoxide oxidation.     

Sonochemical synthesis of vanadium complex nano-particles: a new precursor for preparation and evaluation of V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript>/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> nano-catalyst in selective oxidation of methanol to methylal

In this study, an ionic complex of V(V) was synthesized by using ultrasonic method, and it was used as a precursor for production of a new catalyst for selective preparation of methylal or dimethoxymethane (DMM). By reaction between an ionic ligand [pyda.H₂]²⁺[pydc]^2? (LH₂), (pyda.H₂ = 2,6-pyridine diammonium and pydc = 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate) and ammonium vanadate, the five coordinated V(V) complex, [pyda.H][V(pydc)O₂], {2,6- diaminopyridinum 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylatodioxovanadate(V)}, VLH₂ was synthesized. The prepared complex VLH₂ was characterized by SEM, thermal analysis TGA/DTA, FT-IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction studies. The results showed that the yield of the reaction was increased up to 64%. The average particle sizes of the obtained complex VLH₂ were about 50–60 nm. Also, the nano-catalyst of V₂O₅/Al₂O₃ was synthesized by impregnation method and was prepared as a nano-catalyst with average particles sizes of 50–60 nm, and its characterization was performed by XRD, EDX and SEM methods. Finally, the prepared catalyst was used to converting of methanol to methylal at different process conditions.     

Gold catalysts supported on ZnO/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> for low-temperature CO oxidation

Gold catalysts with loadings ranging from 0.5 to 7.0 wt% on a ZnO/Al₂O₃ support were prepared by the deposition–precipitation method (Au/ZnO/Al₂O₃) with ammonium bicarbonate as the precipitation agent and were evaluated for performance in CO oxidation. These catalysts were characterized by inductively coupled plasma-atom emission spectrometry, temperature programmed reduction, and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The catalytic activity for CO oxidation was measured using a flow reactor under atmospheric pressure. Catalytic activity was found to be strongly dependent on the reduction property of oxygen adsorbed on the gold surface, which related to gold particle size. Higher catalytic activity was found when the gold particles had an average diameter of 3–5 nm; in this range, gold catalysts were more active than the Pt/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalyst in CO oxidation. Au/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalyst with small amount of ZnO is more active than Au/Al₂O₃ catalyst due to higher dispersion of gold particles.     

Subsolidus phase relations in the Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>-Li<Subscript>2</Subscript>O-Ta<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> (Nb<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript>) systems

The phase composition has been studied and an equilibrium phase diagram has been designed for the Al₂O₃-Li₂O-R₂O₅ (R = Ta or Nb) systems in the subsolidus region up to 1000°C and 85 mol % Li₂O. New phases with the composition Li_1+x Al_1?x O_2?x , where x = 0–0.67, have been found.     

Reactivation of CoMo/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> hydrotreating catalysts with chelating agents

Effect of various chelating components, multibasic carboxylic acids and glycols, used to prepare hydrotreating catalysts on the activity regeneration of calcined hydrotreating catalysts was studied. Reactivated catalyst samples were tested in a model reaction of hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene. It was shown that the treatment of calcined catalysts with the chelating components leads to an increase in the catalytic activity. The best catalytic characteristics are observed for the catalyst reactivated with a solution containing citric acid and triethylene glycol.