Pd-Fe nanoparticles stabilized by chitosan derivatives for perchloroethene dechlorination

A series of chitosan-stabilized Pd-NZVI (nano-zero-valent-iron) catalysts for dechlorination with variation in their composition and in the nature of the polymer has been prepared. The synthesis procedures and palladium and chitosan contents were optimized. It was demonstrated by the XPS method that Fe and Pd in Fe-Pd/chitosan samples exist in the metallic state. The positive shift of the binding energy as compared with the bulk metal shows that the iron metal in the surface layers exists as very small nanoparticles. The prepared materials were characterized also by the XAS method. The presence of O and N atoms in the first coordination shell of the central Fe atom in the Fe-Pd/chitosan samples certifies the binding of the Fe metal particles with the chitosan surface via OH and NH(2) groups. The samples are characterized by the high stability of the nanoparticles as compared to unstabilized Pd-NZVI. The materials were tested to evaluate their catalytic activity in the perchloroethene (PCE) dechlorination reaction. Some samples of chitosan-stabilized Pd-NZVI revealed a good performance in PCE degradation as compared to unstabilized Pd-NZVI.

Reaction products and transformations of intermediates in the aqueous-phase reforming of sorbitol

Aqueous phase reforming of sorbitol over Pt supported on an alumina catalyst is investigated, in order to identify the intermediates involved in the transformation of the initial feed. Parameters such as the sorbitol feed rate and temperature are studied. To identify the intermediates, an approach based on analysis of the gas and liquid phases as well as the total carbon content was developed. According to analysis by gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry of volatile substances collected with solid-phase microextraction, over 260 compounds are involved in the transformation of sorbitol. Of these, 50 of the major products are identified with high reliability. It is shown that a great variety of compounds, bearing different functionalities, form part of the reaction network. The formation of the majority of identified compounds is explained and a reaction network for the formation of sorbitol and intermediate molecules transformation is proposed.

Synthesis of Pt modified ZSM-5 and beta zeolite catalysts: influence of ultrasonic irradiation and preparation methods on physico-chemical and catalytic properties in pentane isomerization

Influence of preparation methods and ultrasound irradiation on physico-chemical and catalytic properties was investigated by synthesizing Pt-ZSM-5 and Pt-Beta catalysts by in-situ and impregnation methods and applying ultrasound irradiation to synthesis gel mixture of ZSM-5 and Beta zeolites. It was concluded from the X-ray powder diffraction patterns of Pt-ZSM-5 and Pt-Beta zeolite catalysts that introduction of Pt by in-situ method and ultrasound irradiation did not influence the structures of ZSM-5 and Beta zeolites. Morphology of ZSM-5 and Beta zeolites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. SEM micrographs showed that the Pt-ZSM-5-IS-US catalyst synthesized by in-situ method with ultrasound irradiation resulted in smaller crystals of ZSM-5 than Pt-ZSM-5-IS catalyst prepared without ultrasound irradiation. Furthermore SEM micrographs of Pt-Beta-11-IS-US zeolite synthesized using ultrasound irradiation showed much smaller crystals than Pt-Beta-11-IM indicating that ultrasound irradiation had a significant effect on the morphology of Beta zeolite. Conversion of n-pentane and selectivity to iso-pentane over the Pt-ZSM-5-IS-US zeolite catalysts prepared by ultrasound irradiation during in-situ introduction of platinum was higher than the catalysts prepared without the ultrasound irradiation. Furthermore ultrasound irradiated and in-situ synthesized Pt-Beta-11-IS-US catalyst also showed higher selectivity to iso-pentane than Pt-H-Beta-11-IM prepared by impregnation method.

Peculiarities of adsorption of organic compounds and water on silicas with bonded polyfluoroalkyl groups

The adsorption isotherms of benzene revealed the low adsorption potential of polyfluoroalkyl silicas compared with both initial silica and hexadecyl silica. Hydrophobicity of all modified silicas, measured by water adsorption, was rather close at p/p(s)=1 and was significantly different in the initial p/p(s) region: polyfluoroalkyl silicas did not nearly adsorb water but alkyl silica did it gradually. Thermodynamic parameters of adsorption of organic compounds of different nature were studied at a zero surface coverage by gas chromatography (GC). The high enough contributions of specific interactions as well as polar molecular group increments to the Gibbs adsorption energy were found to be characteristic of polyfluoroalkyl silica. The selectivity of polyfluoroalkyl silicas and the commonly used fluorinecontaining liquid stationary phase for GC (OV-210) toward homologous ethers, esters, and alcohols was comparable in most cases. GC data, IR spectra, and adsorption measurements were in good agreement with each other. It was shown that residual SiOH-groups of silica do not nearly take part in the adsorption process because they are effectively screened by the attached organic groups.