Total oxidation of propane over Cu-Mn mixed oxide catalysts prepared by co-precipitation method

• Published in: The Korean journal of chemical engineering 2011, 28(4), 133, pp.1139-1143
• Main Authors: Kim, Moon Hyeon, Cho, Kyung Ho, Shin, Chae-Ho, Kang, Seong-Eun, Ham, Sung-Won
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biotechnology; Catalysis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Materials Science; 화학공학
• ISSN: 0256-1115; 1975-7220
• DOI: 10.1007/s11814-011-0035-3

The catalytic activity of Cu-Mn mixed oxides with varying Cu/Mn ratios prepared by co-precipitation method was examined for the total oxidation of propane. The nature and phase of the metal oxide species formed were characterized by various methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), H 2 temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) as well as BET surface area measurement. The co-precipitation method provides highly interdispersed copper and manganese metallic elements forming Cu-Mn mixed oxide of spinel structure (Cu 1.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 ). Besides the spinel-type Cu-Mn mixed oxide, CuO or Mn 2 O 3 phases could be formed depending on the Cu/Mn molar ratio of their precursors. The catalytic activity of Cu-Mn mixed oxide catalyst for propane oxidation was much higher than those of single metal oxides of CuO and Mn 2 O 3 . The higher catalytic activity likely originates from a synergic effect of spinel-type Cu-Mn mixed oxide and CuO. The easier reducibility and BET surface area seems to be partially responsible for the high activity of Cu-Mn mixed oxide for total oxidation of propane.