Oxidation of Methanol and Dichloromethane on TiO(2)-CeO(2)-CuO, TiO(2)-CeO(2) and TiO(2)-CuO@VUKOPOR(®)A Ceramic Foams

The application-attractive form of TiO(2), CeO(2) and CuO-based open-cell foam supported catalysts was designed to investigate their catalytic performance in oxidation of two model volatile organic compounds—methanol and dichloromethane. TiO(2)-CeO(2), TiO(2)-CuO and TiO(2)-CeO(2)-CuO catalysts as thin films were deposited on VUKOPOR(®)A ceramic foam using a reverse micelles-controlled sol-gel method, dip-coating and calcination. Three prepared catalytic foams were investigated via light-off tests in methanol and dichloromethane oxidation in the temperature range of 45–400 °C and 100–500 °C, respectively, at GHSV of 11, 600 h(−1), which fits to semi-pilot/industrial conditions. TiO(2)-CuO@VUKOPOR(®)A foam showed the best catalytic activity and CO(2) yield in methanol oxidation due to its low weak Lewis acidity, high weak basicity and easily reducible CuO species and proved good catalytic stability within 20 h test. TiO(2)-CeO(2)-CuO@VUKOPOR(®)A foam was the best in dichloromethane oxidation. Despite of its lower catalytic activity compared to TiO(2)-CeO(2)@VUKOPOR(®)A foam, its highly-reducible -O-Cu-Ce-O- active surface sites led to the highest CO(2) yield and the highest weak Lewis acidity contributed to the highest HCl yield. This foam also showed the lowest amount of chlorine deposits.