Low temperature oxidation of CO over supported PdCl2-CuCl2 catalysts

Abstract

PdCl2-CuCl2 catalyst supported on activated carbon was examined for the low temperature oxidation of CO. The catalyst developed in the present study was active and stable at ambient conditions if water were existing in the feed gas stream. The addition of Cu(NO3)(2) into the PdCl2-CuCl2 catalyst significantly enhanced the CO oxidation activity. X-ray diffraction study revealed that the role of Cu(NO3)(2) was to stabilize active Cu(II) species, Cu2Cl(OH)(3), on the catalyst surface which maintains the redox property of palladium. When HCl and SO2 were also existing in the feed, they easily inactivated the catalyst. It was found that HCl and SO2 inhibited the formation of active Cu(II) species on the catalyst surface