| Metallic gold nanoparticles supported on γ-Al2O 3 and magnesia-alumina mixed oxide, with different magnesia content have been prepared by sol-gel method and characterized by different techniques (inductive coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), XRD, BET surface area analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), CO2 and NH 3 temperature programmed desorption (TPD), H2 temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and FTIR of adsorbed CO2). Such systems were found to produce catalysts with controllable acidity, varying from catalyst possessing large density of acidic and low density of basic sites, others with acidic and basic sites of equal strength and density, and others with large basic and low acid sites densities, respectively. The catalytic assessment of the generated acidity was carried out using 2-propanol decomposition as a test reaction. The results obtained indicate that the presence of magnesia and reduced gold nanopartilces has imparted the catalysts, 1%Au/4%Mg-Al 2O3 and 1%Au/8%Mg-Al2O3, with significant base-catalytic properties.;Acetylene hydrogenation and formation of coke deposits were investigated on a gold catalyst supported on γ-Al2O3 and gold supported on alumina-magnisia mixed oxide with different gold content; 1%Au/γ-Al 2O3, 1%Au/15%Mg-Al2O3, 2%Au/15%Mg-Al 2O3 and 4%Au/15%Mg-Al2O3. The effect of the H2/C2H2 ratio was studied over a range of values. The catalytic activity and selectivity towards ethylene and other products were investigated at different reaction temperatures. Acetylene hydrogenation was investigated in the presence and absence of ethylene in stream. It is investigated that the adsorption of the triple bond is preferred over the double bond and during selective catalytic (SCR) of C2H2 the two hydrocarbons do not compete for the same adsorption sites. The deactivation of catalysts was studied by temperature programmed oxidation (TPO). Higher content of coke over 1%Au/Al2O3 catalyst was investigated in contrast to the other catalysts in which the basisity of magnesia-alumina supports could have played an important role in inhibiting the acidic carbon formation by possessing smaller number and/or weaker acid sites. |
