Catalytic behavior of ruthenium anchored on micronanostructured composite in selective benzyl alcohol oxidation

• Published in: Reaction kinetics, mechanisms and catalysis mechanisms and catalysis, 2013-12, Vol.110 (2), p.471-483
• Main Authors: Nascimento, L. F., Matsubara, E. Y., Donate, P. M., Rosolen, J. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalysis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Physical Chemistry
• ISSN: 1878-5190; 1878-5204
• DOI: 10.1007/s11144-013-0605-y

We investigated the behavior of ruthenium nanoclusters supported on micro/nanostructured charcoal composite (CNT/AC) in the selective catalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to the corresponding aldehyde. We achieved nanostructuration of the charcoal surface by growing carbon nanotubes on charcoal via ethanol chemical vapor decomposition. We employed ruthenium nanoclusters measuring 20–50 nm on average, as previously determined by a ruthenium microemulsion. We characterized the Ru/CNT/AC composite by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm, and Raman spectroscopy. The nanostructured charcoal studied herein gives rise to a highly selective catalyst with 3.2 wt% Ru loading, without Ru/CNT leaching. The chemical environment of the CNT network on the charcoal surface of this micro/nanostructured material appears to elicit evanescent catalytic behavior that promotes benzyl alcohol oxidation. The adsorption of ruthenium nanoclusters from the microemulsion preferentially occurs onto regions of the charcoal surface covered with carbon nanostructures. This furnishes nanoenvironments that enable one to tailor the catalytic activity of metallic ruthenium by electronic effects.