Part II: Oxidative Thermal Aging of Pd/Al2O3 and Pd/CexOy-ZrO2 in Automotive Three Way Catalysts: The Effects of Fuel Shutoff and Attempted Fuel Rich Regeneration

One pot oxidative ethyl acetate synthesis using palladium activated SBA-15 type catalysts

Ethyl acetate, an important fuel additive and green solvent, was produced through one pot oxidative synthesis of EtOH using palladium incorporated SBA-15 type catalysts synthesized by the impregnation (IMP) method. This was the first time these catalysts were used in this reaction at mild EtOH vaporization conditions (35 °C). XRD, N2 physisorption, SEM, CO chemisorption and TPR methods were used to characterize the as-synthesized catalysts. All the catalysts were found to maintain the SBA-15 semi-crystalline structure with high BET surface areas (626-665 m2/g), and high pore volumes (0.93-0.95 cm3/g) and metal distributions in the range of 24-29 %. The optimum Pd/Si molar ratio in solution was found to be 0.03 and the corresponding catalyst was tested in the one pot oxidative synthesis of ethyl acetate at different reaction temperatures and different O2/EtOH molar ratios. The maximum ethyl acetate yield was obtained as 0.25 at 200 °C and 1 atm at an O2/EtOH molar ratio of 0.5 and space velocity of 2206 h-1 using this catalyst. The fact that the best yield was obtained at mild conditions of temperature and pressure decreased the energy requirement of the ethyl acetate production process. In addition, in Turkey, bio-ethanol is produced from sugar beet pulp, thus, the oxidative synthesis of ethyl acetate can be made more sustainable by using sugar beet based ethanol.

Tailoring Metal-Oxide Interfaces via Selectively CeO2-Decorated Pd Nanocatalysts with Enhanced Catalytic Performance

Metal-oxide interfaces play a prominent role in heterogeneous catalysis. Tailoring the metal-oxide interfaces effectively enhance the catalytic activities and thermal stability of noble metal catalysts. In this work, polyvinyl alcohol-protected reduction and L-arginine induction methods are adopted to prepare Pd catalysts (Pd/Al2O3-xCeO2) that are selectively decorated by CeO2, which form core-shell-like structures and generate more Pd-CeO2 interfacial sites, so that the three-way catalytic activity of Pd/Al2O3-xCeO2 catalysts is obviously significantly enhanced due to more adsorption oxygen at the interface of Pd-CeO2 and good low-temperature reducibility. At the moment, the Pd/Al2O3-xCeO2 catalysts exhibit excellent thermal stability after being calcined at 900 °C for 5 h, owing to the Pd species being highly redispersed on CeO2 and part of the Pd species being incorporated into the lattice of CeO2. This is a major reason for the Pd/Al2O3-xCeO2 catalysts to maintain high catalytic activity after aging at high temperatures. It is concluded that the metal-oxide interfaces and the interaction between Pd NPs and CeO2 are responsible for the excellent catalytic performance and stability of Pd/Al2O3-xCeO2 catalysts in three-way reactions.

Investigation of palladium catalysts in mesoporous silica support for CO oxidation and CO2 adsorption

The oxidation of Carbon monoxide (CO) to Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the most extensively investigated reactions in the field of heterogeneous catalysis, and it occurs via molecular rearrangements induced by catalytic metal atoms with oxygen intermediates. CO oxidation and CO2 capture are instrumental processes in the reduction of green-house gas emissions, both of which are used in low-temperature CO oxidation in the catalytic converters of vehicles. CO oxidation and CO2 adsorption at different temperatures are evaluated for palladium-supported silica aerogel (Pd/SiO2). The synthesized catalyst was active and stable for low-temperature CO oxidation. The catalytic activity was enhanced after the first cycle due to the reconditioning of the catalyst's pores. It was found that the presence of oxide forms of palladium in the SiO2 microstructure, influences the performance of the catalysts due to oxygen vacancies that increases the frequency of active sites. CO2 gas adsorption onto Pd/SiO2 was investigated at a wide-ranging temperature from 16 to 120 °C and pressures ∼1 MPa as determined from the isotherms that were evaluated, where CO2 showed the highest equilibrium adsorption capacity at 16 °C. The Langmuir model was employed to study the equilibrium adsorption behavior. Finally, the effect of moisture on CO oxidation and CO2 adsorption was considered to account for usage in real-world applications. Overall, mesoporous Pd/SiO2 aerogel shows potential as a material capable of removing CO from the environment and capturing CO2 at low temperatures.

Studies on High-Temperature Evolution of Low-Loaded Pd Three-Way Catalysts Prepared by Laser Electrodispersion

Pd/Al₂O₃ catalyst of the "crust" type with Pd loading of 0.03 wt.% was prepared by the deposition of 2 nm Pd particles on the outer surface of the alumina support using laser electrodispersion (LED). This technique differs from a standard laser ablation into a liquid in that the formation of monodisperse nanoparticles occurs in the laser torch plasma in a vacuum. As is found, the LED-prepared catalyst surpasses Pd-containing three-way catalysts, obtained by conventional chemical synthesis, in activity and stability in CO oxidation under prompt thermal aging conditions. Thus, the LED-prepared Pd/Al₂O₃ catalyst showed the best thermal stability up to 1000 °C. The present research is focused on the study of the high-temperature evolution of the Pd/Al₂O₃ catalyst in two reaction mixtures by a set of physicochemical methods (transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy). In order to follow the dispersion of the Pd nanoparticles during the thermal aging procedure, the testing reaction of ethane hydrogenolysis was also applied. The possible reasons for the high stability of LED-prepared catalysts are suggested.

Catalytic Hydrotreatment of Humins Waste over Bifunctional Pd-Based Zeolite Catalysts

The catalytic hydrotreatment of humins, the solid byproduct produced from the conversion of C6 sugars (glucose, fructose) to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), using supported Pd@zeolite (Beta, Y, and USY) catalysts with different amounts of Pd (i.e., 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 wt%) was investigated under molecular hydrogen pressure. The highest conversion of humins (52.0%) was obtained on 1.5Pd@USY catalyst while the highest amount of humins oil (27.3%) was obtained in the presence of the 1Pd@Beta zeolite sample, at PH2 = 30 bars and T = 250 °C. The major compounds in the humins oil evidenced by GC-MS are alcohols, organic acids, ethers, and alkyl-phenolics. However, although all these classes of compounds are obtained regardless of the nature of the catalyst used, the composition of the mixture differs from one catalyst to another. Furanic compounds were not identified in the reaction products. A possible explanation may be related to their high reactivity under the reaction conditions, in the presence of the Pd-based catalysts these compounds lead to alkyl phenolics, important intermediates in the petrochemical industry.

Emissions of Euro 6 Mono- and Bi-Fuel Gas Vehicles

Compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are included in the group of promoted transport fuel alternatives in Europe. Most studies on emissions factors are based on old technology CNG and LPG fueled vehicles. Furthermore, there are not many data at low ambient temperatures, on-road driving, or unregulated pollutants, such as ammonia (NH3). In this study we measured the emissions of one Euro 6b CNG light commercial vehicle, one Euro 6b and one Euro 6d-Temp bi-fuel LPG passenger car, one Euro 6d-Temp bi-fuel CNG passenger car, and four Euro 6d-Temp CNG passenger cars. Tests included on-road testing and worldwide harmonized light vehicles test cycles (WLTC) in the laboratory with cold and hot engine, at 23 °C and −7 °C. The results showed 10–23% CO2 savings in gas modality compared to gasoline, lower CO and particle number emissions, and relatively similar total and non-methane hydrocarbons and NOx emissions. The ammonia emissions were high for all vehicles and fuels; higher than gasoline and diesel vehicles. The results also showed that, following the introduction of the real-driving emissions regulation, even though not applicable to the examined vehicles, Euro 6d-Temp vehicles had lower emissions compared to the Euro 6b vehicles.

Stable Performance of Supported PdOx Catalyst on Mesoporous Silica-Alumina of Water Tolerance for Methane Combustion under Wet Conditions

In methane combustion, water tolerance of Pd-based catalysts is quite critical for stable performance, because water is produced in situ and a water-containing feed is used under real conditions. Herein, water-tolerant mesoporous silica-alumina (H-MSA) was prepared by solvent deficient precipitation (SDP) using triethoxy(octyl)silane (TEOOS) and aluminum isopropoxide (AIP). The H-MSA was more tolerant to water than γ-alumina, mesoporous alumina (MA), and mesoporous silica-alumina (MSA) synthesized by using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), because of the silica present on the external particle surface. Moreover, it exhibited better textural properties, leading to higher dispersion of PdOx. The PdOx catalyst supported on H-MSA was quite durable in repeated temperature-programmed cycles and isothermal tests in the presence of water vapor, compared to the reference PdOx catalysts. The measured stability was attributed to the water tolerance, weak Lewis acidity, and penta-coordinated Al species of the H-MSA support, which was preferentially imparted when TEOOS was added for substitution of 5 mol% AIP for the synthesis of H-MSA. Therefore, the SDP method employed herein is useful in endowing supported PdOx catalysts with the water tolerance necessary for stable methane combustion performance under wet conditions.

Real-time observation of the effect of oxygen storage materials on Pd-based three-way catalysts under ideal automobile exhaust conditions: an operando study

The dynamic behavior of Pd species and the CeO2 support of 1 wt% Pd/Al2O3 and Pd/CeO2 catalysts during three-way catalysis was examined in real time with operando multi-probe analysis.

Effect of Oxide Supports on the Activity of Pd Based Catalysts for Furfural Hydrogenation

We investigated the effect of oxide supports on the hydrogenation of furfural over Pd catalysts on various supports (Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2, CeO2, and ZrO2). Pd catalysts (5 wt%) prepared by chemical reduction on various supports. The dispersion and uniformity of Pd were affected by the properties of the support and by the nucleation and growth of Pd. The conversion of furfural was enhanced by greater Pd dispersion. The selectivity for cyclopentanone and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol was affected by physicochemical properties of Pd catalyst and reaction parameters. High Pd dispersion and high acidity of the catalyst led to greater C=C hydrogenation, thereby, generating more tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol. The Pd/TiO2 catalyst showed the highest cyclopentanone yield than other catalysts. The Pd/TiO2 catalyst exhibited the >99% furfural conversion, 55.6% cyclopentanone selectivity, and 55.5% cyclopentanone yield under the optimal conditions; 20 bar of H2, at 170 °C for 4 h with 0.1 g of catalyst.

Dehydrogenation of 2-[(n-Methylcyclohexyl)Methyl]Piperidine over Mesoporous Pd-Al2O3 Catalysts Prepared by Solvent Deficient Precipitation: Influence of Calcination Conditions

A pair of 2-[(n-methylcyclohexyl)methyl]piperidine (H12-MBP) and its full dehydrogenation product (H0-MBP) has recently been considered as a potential liquid organic hydrogen carrier with 6.15 wt% H2 storage capacity. In the discovery of an active and stable catalyst for H2 discharge from H12-MBP at lower temperatures, a mesoporous Pd-Al2O3 catalyst (MPdA) was synthesized by a one-pot solvent deficient precipitation (SDP). In the present work, the sensitivity and effectiveness of the SDP method are examined by varying the calcination temperature and time in the preparation of the MPdA catalyst. The characterization revealed that the final properties of the MPdA catalyst greatly rely on both the calcination temperature and time. The MPdA catalyst showed better dehydrogenation activity for calcination at 600 °C than at other temperatures, because of Pd particles of smaller size with higher dispersion. Although the MPdA catalysts calcined at 600 °C for different periods of time have similar size and dispersion of Pd particles, the dehydrogenation efficiency was superior as the calcination time became shorter (e.g., 1 h), which originated from the better arrangement of Pd particles over a higher surface area. These MPdA catalysts, irrespective of the calcination time, displayed a remarkable stability in the dehydrogenation of H12-MBP owing to the protection of Pd particles by the Al2O3 layer.

Different Reaction Mechanisms of Ammonia Oxidation Reaction on Pt/Al2O3 and Pt/CeZrO2 with Various Pt States

NH₃ emissions were limited strictly because of the threat for human health and sustainable development. Pt/Al₂O₃ and Pt/CeZrO₂ were prepared by the impregnation method. Differences in surface chemical states, reduction ability, acid properties, morphological properties, reaction mechanisms, and ammonia oxidation activity were studied. It indicated that Pt species states were affected by different metal-support interactions. The homogeneously dispersed Pt species over Pt/Al₂O₃ exposed Pt(111) because of weak metal-support interactions; there even existed an obvious interface between Pt and Al₂O₃. While obscure even an overlapped interface was observed over Pt/CeZrO₂, resulting in the formation of PtO because of the oxygen migration from CeZrO₂ to Pt species (confirmed by CO-FTIR, the cycled H₂-TPR and transmission electron microscopy results). It was noteworthy that different reaction mechanisms were induced by different states of Pt species; NH was the key intermediate species for ammonia oxidation reaction over Pt/Al₂O₃, but two kinds of intermediates, N₂H₄ and HNO, were observed for Pt/CeZrO₂. It consequently resulted in the obvious distinction of the NH₃-SCO catalytic performance; the light-off temperatures of NH₃ over Pt/Al₂O₃ and Pt/CeZrO₂ were 231 and 275 °C, respectively, while the maximum N₂ selectivity (65%) was obtained over Pt/CeZrO₂, it was obviously better than that over Pt/Al₂O₃.

Self-Assembled Pd@CeO2 /γ-Al2 O3 Catalysts with Enhanced Activity for Catalytic Methane Combustion

Pd@CeO₂ /Al₂ O₃ catalysts are of great importance for real applications, such as three-way catalysis, CO oxidation, and methane combustion. In this article, the Pd@CeO₂ core@shell nanospheres are prepared via the autoredox reaction in aqueous phase. Three kinds of methods are then employed, that is, electrostatic interaction, supramolecular self-assembly, and physical mixing, to support the as-prepared Pd@CeO₂ nanospheres on γ-Al₂ O₃ . A model reaction of catalytic methane-combustion is employed here to evaluate the three Pd@CeO₂ /γ-Al₂ O₃ samples. As a result, the sample Pd@CeO₂ -S-850 prepared via supramolecular self-assembly and calcined at 850 °C exhibits superior catalytic performance to the others, which has a far lower light-off temperature (T₅₀ of about 364 °C). Moreover, almost no deterioration of Pd@CeO₂ -S-850 is observed after five sequent catalytic cycles. The analysis of H₂ -TPR curves concludes that there exists hydrogen spillover related to the strong metal-support interaction between Pd species and oxides. The strong metal-support interaction and the specific surface areas might be responsible for the catalytic performance of the Pd@CeO₂ samples toward catalytic methane combustion.